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TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE PORTION OF CASHUA FERRY ROAD IN DARLINGTON COUNTY FROM WILSON CLINIC TO ITS INTERSECTION WITH COGGESHALL ROAD "JAMES 'JIMMY' MCKELVEY MEMORIAL HIGHWAY" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS ALONG THIS PORTION OF HIGHWAY CONTAINING THIS DESIGNATION.
Whereas, Mr. James "Jimmy" McKelvey was born on August 12, 1929, the son of Willard and Virginia McElroy McKelvey. He died on November 9, 2016, in Darlington County, where the family moved in 1937; and
Whereas, a product of the Darlington County school system, he graduated from St. John's High School in 1947. Mr. McKelvey served fourteen years in the Army National Guard and spent another eight years in the Air National Guard attaining the rank of Master Sergeant and retiring as a non-commissioned officer in charge of nursing service at the 169th Tactical Air Command Clinic; and
Whereas, for some twenty-eight years Mr. McKelvey dedicated his service as a volunteer fireman with the City of Darlington Fire Department. He was a charter member of the Darlington Firemen Rescue Squad, founded in 1954, and served for twenty-one years; and
Whereas, in 1975 he joined Darlington County as Emergency Medical Services coordinator charged with building an ambulance service for the county. He became emergency preparedness director in 1985 and served on the 911 planning commission, responsible for providing a 911 emergency communication center. He retired as director of emergency services in 1995; and
Whereas, while employed by Darlington County, Mr. McKelvey became a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and later a certified paramedic. He went on to become a certified EMT instructor, teaching for many years at Florence-Darlington Technical College; and
Whereas, for his outstanding and selfless contributions to health care in Darlington County Mr. McKelvey was honored in 1988 with the Wilson Group Health Care Service Award. This was followed in 1990 with the South Carolina Emergency Preparedness Association Director of the Year for Area 4 Award; and
Whereas, in retirement Mr. McKelvey worked as a consultant for Dillon County in the completion of their 911 communications center, enjoyed coaching Dixie Youth baseball, and served as an auxiliary deputy under then Darlington County Sheriff Jack O'Tuel. He was a lifelong member of Darlington's First Baptist Church where he served in a myriad of roles that included deacon, usher, and Sunday school teacher; and
Whereas, for fifty-nine years he was married to his beloved wife, Cheryl Parnell McKelvey, who preceded him in death. They were blessed with two daughters and four grandchildren; and
Whereas, it is fitting and proper that we honor the legacy of Mr. James "Jimmy" McKelvey, a dedicated public servant of Darlington County, by naming a portion of Cashua Ferry Road in his honor. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That members of the South Carolina General Assembly request the Department of Transportation name the portion of Cashua Ferry Road in Darlington County from Wilson Clinic to its intersection with Coggeshall Road "James 'Jimmy' McKelvey Memorial Highway" and erect appropriate markers or signs along this portion of highway containing this designation.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.
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