Bridge Named in Memory Of Wheeling Man Killed in Vietnam
W.Va. Sen. Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio Sponsored Legislation
WHEELING — West Virginia is ensuring a local soldier killed in Vietnam won’t soon be forgotten, more than 45 years after his death.
The state Division of Highways recently named the Washington Avenue bridge that crosses above Interstate70 in Wheeling near exit 2B the “U.S. Army Spc. Joseph Richard ‘Rick’ Schafer Memorial Bridge.” While serving in Vietnam, Schafer was killed on May 6, 1971 while driving a military vehicle that was involved in an accident.
As a youth who grew up in the Valley View Avenue area, Schafer crossed the bridge almost daily to be with his friends or to meet the girl he would later marry, according to his sister, Lynne Schafer of Wheeling. She said after seeing other bridges in the area that have been dedicated to the memory of soldiers who died while fighting for America, she said it was important to her to see if the Washington Avenue Bridge could be named in the memory of her late brother.
She said many people in this area knew her brother, and he was the last in their family to carry on the family name.
“It means that he will always be remembered by people in this area,” Lynne Schafer said.
Late last year, Lynne Schafer decided to make a request for the bridge to be dedicated in her brother’s memory through the office of state Sen. Ryan Ferns, R-Ohio. Ferns eventually would sponsor the bipartisan bill in the Legislature to have the bridge formally renamed.
A representative of Ferns’ office told her the request would be addressed in February, during the Legislature’s regular session.
She said she followed protocol by filling out all the proper paperwork and followed up on the request several times after making the initial request. She said after several months of waiting she finally realized her request was granted after seeing signs erected at both ends of the bridge bearing her brother’s name.
Shaffer said she is grateful the bridge was named in memory of her brother, but is unsure whether an official ceremony will eventually be scheduled.
Lynne Schafer and her sister, Paula Schafer Wood of Ocala, Fla., said their brother crossed the Washington Avenue Bridge many times to be with friends or to work at the old Coca Cola plant that was located in Clator at that time.
They said Joseph Schafer, who was born April 29, 1949, enjoyed playing Little League baseball and high school football, and graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School. He attended West Liberty University prior to entering the Army.
Joseph Schafer married Vicki Dayton of Wheeling before being drafted into the Army on May 29, 1969. He was trained as “specialist” engineer equipment repairman and initially deployed for six months to Germany before having his orders changed, sending him to Vietnam on Sept. 15, 1970.
He served with Company A of the 544th Engineer Battalion, 159th Engineer Group and the 20th Engineer Brigade in Vietnam.
A third sister of Schafer’s, Beverly Schafer Yankwitt, currently resides in Port Charlotte, Fla.
A picture that Lynne has archived of her brother has a sentence typed above the photo that reads, “Joseph Richard Schafer: The 6′-4″ Gentle Giant and last to carry on our family name. Let not the world forget him nor the family who loves him and is so proud of him. He knew how lucky we are to live in America.”
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