State Sen. Steve Gooch, right, joins looks on as the new intersection sign was unveiled during a ceremony at Mossy Creek Elementary School in White County on Friday, Dec. 14. Gooch introduced legislation that paved the way for the road renaming. (wrwh.com)
(Cleveland)-The intersection of Highway 129 at Westmoreland Road south of Cleveland has a new name – the Horace Fitzpatrick Intersection. Friday, a ceremony was held at Mossy Creek Elementary School to officially unveil signage for the roadway.
Fitzpatrick served the White County School System where he taught for 17 years and also served as school superintendent for 12 years. Fitzpatrick worked at Pioneer RESA for 5 years and 10 years for the Georgia State Department of Education. He passed away January 22, 2017.
State Senator Steve Gooch, who introduced legislation that made the naming possible, Friday said: “I don’t think anybody more deserving than Horace Fitzpatrick and what he has done for this community and what he has meant to the people of Georgia, especially in the field of education.”
Gooch read Senate resolution 745 that was approved by the legislature earlier this year the resolution ends with this statement “Whereas it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkable and distinguished Georgian be recognized appropriately by dedicating an intersection in his honor. Be it further resolved and enacted that the intersection of U.S. 129 with Westmoreland Road in White County is dedicated as the Horace Fitzpatrick Intersection.”
White County resident Johnny Sutton, who served for 32 years as agriculture teacher and FFA advisor at North Hall High School told the crowd that Horace Fitzpatrick impacted his life, “He was my pattern and my mentor and everything I did was basically because of him and I will be eternally grateful for that,” said Sutton.
