BILL REQ. #:  H-1520.1 

Read first time 02/11/09.   Referred to Committee on Transportation.

     TO THE HONORABLE PAULA HAMMOND, SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, AND TO THE WASHINGTON STATE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, AND TO THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke was born on September 4, 1940, and spent his life enjoying the great state of Washington, being born in Spokane and raised in West Seattle; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke joined the Navy immediately after graduating from high school and served his country honorably for twenty-six years, reaching the rank of senior chief petty officer before his retirement; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke was elected to the Washington State Senate in 1990 and served the twenty-sixth district with integrity, honor, and dignity throughout his sixteen years of service; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke was an avid outdoorsman who particularly enjoyed fishing and pheasant hunting and worked hard to improve these activities for future generations; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke's vision and tenacity made possible the construction of a new Tacoma Narrows bridge that will serve the residents of his district and the entire state of Washington for generations; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke's life will always be remembered by those who knew him for his integrity, honor, humility, faith, and unshakable optimism; and
     WHEREAS, Bob Oke devoted his love to Mrs. Oke, his beloved wife, best friend, and companion for thirty-one wonderful years, and together they devoted their life to their family of 3 daughters, 1 son, and 9 grandchildren;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Washington State Transportation Commission name the new Tacoma Narrows bridge the Bob Oke bridge.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Paula Hammond, Secretary of Transportation, the Washington State Transportation Commission, and the Washington State Department of Transportation.