A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO REQUEST THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES LITTLE LONG BRANCH RIVER ALONG DR. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE ROAD IN LEE COUNTY "WATSON BRANCH" IN MEMORY OF W. BURKE WATSON AND JEANNE CARR WATSON AND ERECT APPROPRIATE SIGNS OR MARKERS AT THIS LOCATION CONTAINING THESE WORDS, AND REQUEST THAT THE COST OF THESE Signs OR markerS ARE NOT PAID FOR WITH PUBLIC FUNDS.

 

Whereas, born in Sumter, W. Burke Watson was a son of the late William Burke, Sr., and Kate Brogdon Watson. He departed this life on December 13, 2009. He entered The Citadel in 1943 where he was active in the sport of boxing. He left the Corps of Cadets to join the Marine Corps during World War II, serving in Guam and China. Upon his return, he continued his education at The Citadel, graduating in 1948; and

 

Whereas, while at The Citadel, Watson resumed boxing, winning the Individual Southern Conference Championship in his division. He also served as director and as vice president of the Brigadier Association. He was a life member of the Association of Citadel Men, a past alumni member, served on the Citadel Athletic Advisory Committee, was a member of the board of directors of The Citadel Trust and became the trust's first member emeritus. He also was named a member of the Summerall Society in recognition of a lifetime of giving to The Citadel; and

 

Whereas, in 1950, Watson and his partner, Clifton G. Brown founded Brown-Watson, Inc., a real estate company. As a member of the Sumter Optimist Club, he encouraged the group to begin and support the Sumter Youth Boxing Club. For more than fifty years he gave his time, talent, and resources to help develop young boys into athletes and young men. He was named Sumter's Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1960; and

 

Whereas, Watson's lifetime of commitment and service led him to many memberships and honors, including president of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce, the Sumter Board of Realtors, Sumter Independent Insurance Agents, the Home Builders Association of Sumter and Clarendon counties, received the "Order of the Silver Crescent" in 2002 from Governor James Hodges, chosen as the YMCA's "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2004, and earned the status of realtor emeritus from the National Association of Realtors; and

 

Whereas, for more than forty years Watson was a trustee of Crosswell Children's Home. He was inducted into the Sumter Athletic Hall of Fame, The Citadel Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Carolinas Boxing Hall of Fame, where he received the Ambassador Award; and

 

Whereas, he was married to the late Jeanne Carr, a daughter of Keller Carr and Frances Gibson Carr. Born on Younges Island February 15, 1929, she was a graduate of Bishop England High School in Charleston and furthered her education at Rice Business School. She was a member of the Sumter Junior Welfare League, was an active worker with the Sumter County Election Commission, and was associated with the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind for eighteen years; and

 

Whereas, the couple was blessed with three sons, one daughter, and nine grandchildren. Both were active members of First Presbyterian Church in Sumter, where Watson was a deacon and an elder; and

 

Whereas, it would be fitting and proper to honor the memory of W. Burke and Jeanne Carr Watson, a couple who spent their lives in service dedicated to helping and improving the lives of others by naming a bridge in their memory.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, request the Department of Transportation name the bridge that crosses Little Long Branch River along Dr. Mary Mcleod Bethune Road in Lee County "Watson Branch" in memory of W. Burke Watson and Jeanne Carr Watson and erect appropriate signs or markers at this location containing these words, and request that the cost of these signs or markers are not paid for with public funds.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.

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