NORTH KINGSVILLE —
A federal highway that passes in front of the grave of a soldier killed in Iraq may some day bear the young man’s name.
Legislation that would ask the Ohio Department of Transportation to designate Route 20 in the village as “First Lt. Michael L. Runyan Memorial Highway” came before North Kingsville’s council at Wednesday’s regular meeting. The measure was moved to a second reading.
Runyan, 24, died July 2010, when a roadside bomb exploded near Muqdadiyah. He had been deployed to Iraq for three weeks. Runyan is a native of Ashland and his parents, Jeff and Renee Runyan, are Ashtabula County natives. He also has uncles and aunts who live in the county.
Runyan is buried in Greenlawn Memory Gardens in North Kingsville.
Members of the village’s American Legion Neal Post 743 recommended the highway tribute, council members said. ODOT has final say on all highway dedications, officials said.
While the entire council felt the tribute was deserved, some members wondered how the village could respond if similar requests were made.
“What do we do when we have a resident killed in the line of duty”” asked Councilman Lawrence Eller, who said he’s aware of a North Kingsville man who died in Vietnam.
“Any citizen of the village who dies (in combat) deserves to be recognized,” he said. “It should be done for all.”
Other state highways that pass through the village could be earmarked for other military personnel, said Councilman Mark Kauppila. “
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