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Introduced Version House Concurrent Resolution 5 History

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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 55

(By Delegate White and Marcum)

 

 

 

Requesting the Division of Highways to name the intersection of King Coal Highway and the Horsepen connector at the head of Ben Creek and Pigeon Creek in Mingo County, West Virginia, as the “Walter R. Akers Memorial Intersection”.

    Whereas, Mr. Walter “Walt” R. Akers, son of the late Walker and Evelyn Buchanan Akers, was born on December 23, 1947, in Matewan, Mingo County, West Virginia, and died on January 25, 2011. Mr. Akers was raised in the Ben Creek area of Mingo County, attending Gilbert High School; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers, at the age of seventeen, joined the United States Army in 1965 and served his country, including a year tour in Viet Nam, until honorably discharged in 1968; and

    Whereas, Following the war, Walt Akers, like most young people during that time period, had to leave West Virginia in order to find work; first, working for Ford Motor Company in Michigan then, later, working in the steel industry in Ohio; and

    Whereas, Not being satisfied outside of his beloved home state, Walt Akers returned to West Virginia within a short time period to find work and start his family and, in 1970, married his wife, Judy, and moved to the Pigeon Creek area of Mingo County where he resided for the rest of his life; and

    Whereas, In 1970, Walt Akers began his long career in West Virginia’s coal industry, first, as an underground coal miner, migrating to a surface coal miner and working his way from equipment operator to pit boss to foreman and, finally, superintendent; and

    Whereas, During his mining career, Walt Akers took special pride in the mine’s reclamation process, ensuring that the reclaimed mine areas were not only aesthetically pleasing but that the areas would be productive into the future; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers was considered a perfectionist among his colleagues and peers and, also, a “people” person, generously sacrificing his time and resources to guarantee the safety of the men who worked for him and, also, to address any personal need or issue; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers not only displayed his generous and caring nature to those within his professional environment but also to his local community and its residents; and

    Whereas, For the last seven years of Walt’s career, he put his talents and community pride to work in furthering the construction of the Red Jacket Section of the King Coal Highway in Mingo County, an approximate fourteen miles of four-lane roadbed; and

    Whereas, In the massive earth-moving project known as King Coal Highway, Walt, acting as foreman, was a key player who, in addition to actual construction of the roadbed, spent countless hours, not including his regular work shift, working with and explaining the project to the community; and

    Whereas, In addition to the earth moving side of the King Coal Highway project, Walt Akers focused on ensuring that areas adjacent to the roadway were left in a configuration that would be suitable for future development and serve as an attraction to recruit other industries to Mingo County; and

    Whereas, In addition to creating future development sites, Walt was instrumental in the development of an eighty acre-plus site for the new Mingo County High School , taking great care to add touches to the site’s configuration that would add value to the school’s view and useable area; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers made a habit of staying late after his shift to make sure the next shift understood the project’s design and need for proper placement of excavated material whether on the roadbed or at the eighty acre-plus site and, after finally leaving the work site, would keep his company radio on into the early morning hours in case a question or problem occurred regarding the roadbed construction; and

    Whereas, Following the flood of 2009, Walt experienced a fall from a ladder while fixing the roof on his home, suffering very serious injury resulting in hospitalization but, nevertheless, was so extraordinarily committed to ensuring that the roadway would be completed to serve Mingo County that, even while hospitalized following this tragic accident, he kept his cell phone close for calls and was convinced that he could oversee, despite being paralyzed from the waist down, his part of the road construction from a specially equipped pickup truck; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers’ dedication to the road project continued while he was in the hospital in that, despite his severe injuries, when he was able to communicate, he would take calls from his crew to find out how the project was going and to offer his advice on the construction; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers lived and breathed coal and was a great ambassador for coal; and

    Whereas, When Walt was not talking about his work, his focus was on how to address the needs of the community; on his dedication to his wife Judy; the accomplishments of his son, Dr. Scot Akers; and his love for his grandson, Zachary Akers; and

    Whereas, Walt Akers - his dedication to his job, his family, his community, his state and his nation - deserves recognition as a person who has served as the fabric of his community, his job and our state and the constructor of grand accomplishments within West Virginia’s borders; and

    Whereas, The naming of an intersection in honor of Walter “Walt” R. Akers is but a small gesture of gratitude and appreciation for Mr. Akers relentless, loyal, dedicated, generous and competent services in aid of everything he touched and one whose life symbolizes those often unseen and unheard workers whose work, performed with pride and unwavering dedication, has built this state; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways to name the intersection of King Coal Highway and the Horsepen connector at the head of Ben Creek and Pigeon Creek in Mingo County, West Virginia, as the “Walter R. Akers Memorial Intersection”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the intersection as the “Walter R. Akers Memorial Intersection”; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation; to Mr. Akers’ son, Dr. Scott Akers; to Mr. Akers’ grandson, Zachary Scott Akers; to Mr. Akers’ two brothers, Floyd William Akers and Terry Michael Akers; to Mr. Akers’ three sisters, Waldeen Hatfield, Linda Gail Maynor and Joann Walls; and, to Mr. Mike Castle.

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