Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The newly replaced bridge on Cheat Mountain is the perfect landmark to be named for Richard Lee “Rich” Thompson. It connects Randolph and Pocahontas counties; the two places Thompson held in such high regard during his life.
Thompson was born, raised and lived in Elkins and his business Judy Fencecraft, which he bought in 2020, is located in Bartow.
It was at Judy Fencecraft last Friday that the bridge was dedicated in Thompson’s memory. Family, friends, colleagues and Judy Fencecraft employees gathered outside the office for the ceremony, led by West Virginia Delegate Jonathan Kyle.
Kyle and Delegate Mickey Petitto worked together to get the resolution through the legislature in order to officially name the bridge for Thompson.
Kyle said he was honored to help Tammie Thompson get the bridge named for her husband.
“It means a lot to see so many people gathered here,” Kyle said. “Long after we leave today, people are going to drive across that bridge and they’re going to think about Rich. Rich was a kind man who left his mark on this part of West Virginia and when people see that sign, I hope they remember him.”
Thompson was a hardworking West Virginian who promoted the timber industry throughout the country and around the world. He was a U.S. Army veteran and held leadership roles with Mongold Lumber Company and later Judy Fencecraft.
“Tammie tells me all the time how much he loved these mountains,” Kyle said. “He spent his life working in the sawmill and timber industries. He believed in hard work, and he believed that our forests were more than just an economic resource. They were something we had a responsibility to take care of and leave for generations behind us.
“When you talk about somebody’s life, accomplishments only tell part of the story,” he continued. “What really matters is the way somebody treated people, the example they set, the family they raised and whether the place they called home was better because they were here. Rich made that difference.”
After Kyle read the Legislative resolution naming the “Richard Lee Thompson Memorial Bridge,” Tammie introduced her family and spoke about her husband’s impact.
The Thompsons have two daughters, Dr. Ashley Swecker and Dr. Erika Beckett; and four grandsons, Gatlin and Jackson Swecker, and Logan and Elliott Beckett.
“Those four grandsons right there, let me tell you, they were the apple of Rich Thompson’s eye,” she said. “They love this sawmill and they love the rolling stock. Running the equipment was so important to the boys and Grampy got to teach them how to do that.”
Throughout the process of working on getting the bridge named for her late husband and preparing for the dedication, Tammie said there were a couple “God wink” moments that led her to know things were falling into place.
After reaching out to Kyle to start the project, she had a chance meeting with Petitto, who worked with Kyle on the resolution.
“I love both of them as family,” she said. “Ms. Petitto is like a sister to me; Jonathan is a little brother.”
The second “God wink” came just days before the dedication in the form of an email. A family member sent her a poem about Rich and his love of West Virginia, the timber industry and his family.
Knowing that she would break down if she read the poem herself, Tammie asked family friend Jonathan Jones to read it in her stead.
Tammie also recognized all the Judy Fencecraft employees who were in attendance.
“These men and women are our family,” she said. “I said when we came over here – it’s just been the seven years, we bought the mill in 2020 – Rich and I finally got our work family. These guys had Rich’s back, and they have had my back over two years now. I love you. They need as much recognition today as I can give them because they are the backbone of this company.”
To close the ceremony, Kyle presented the family with signs that will be installed on both sides of the bridge.
“I want to leave you with one thought,” he said. “We name roads and bridges after people because places can carry memories. Every time Rich’s family comes through here, they will see his name. His friends will see it; people who worked beside him will see it; someday people who never had the opportunity to know Rich will see it and I hope they’ll ask about the name and learn about a man who loved his family and his faith. He loved these mountains. He understood the importance of taking care of them. He supported veterans and served his country.
“He made a lasting difference in this community, evident by all of you here to honor his memory,” Kyle continued. “It’s a legacy work remembering. It’s been a privilege for me to do this recognition and make it possible, and even greater privilege to stand here as we dedicate this bridge today.”
