memorial hwy sign


 Charles S. Kettles VVA Chapter 310State Representative Jimmy Wilson with Governor Whitmer

Above: Chapter members in the governor's office for the signing of the Memorial Highway bill and State Representative Wilson with Governor Whitmer. 

Several years ago Lloyd Lee and Al (Fredo) Merritt asked Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo how to go about getting a memorial highway sign for our county Vietnam veterans.  She suggested contacting our State Representative Jimmie Wilson.  Representative Wilson was successful and on October 19th Al Merritt, Eric Downie, Jon Luker, Wendy Hibbitts, and I traveled to Lansing to witness Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signing of the bill that renamed I-94 between US 23 and Rawsonville Road. The new name is Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway.

We presented the Governor two Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial challenge coins, one for her and the other for Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. She seemed to know the meaning of challenge coins and stated that seeing how she didn’t have one with her, she owed us a beer. Fredo suggested it would probably cost her more than one beer!

What's sad is the time it took for this to move through the legislative process because Lloyd Lee passed away and missed seeing it come to fruition.

 One of two Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway Signs installed March 2024

wcvvmh

 Picture Credit Al (Fredo) Merritt


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