Highway dedication honors soldier

A portion of Ohio 55 east of Troy was dedicated the Pfc. Jeffrey Rice Memorial Highway in a ceremony Monday, May 12.

Rice, 24, died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on July 19, 2012. State Rep. Richard Adams, R-Troy, sponsored the legislation, approved unanimously by the Ohio General Assembly in 2013. The memorial name will be affixed to the state route from Troy to Casstown. Signs recognizing the memorial name also were unveiled Monday by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Sandy Wheelock said her son spent a lot of time on the road, riding his moped and his bicycle. “Jeff would be so proud,” she said on being presented with miniature versions of the signs.

“We can never thank them enough, honor them enough, never fully express our appreciation,” Adams said of the sacrifice of Rice and his fellow soliders. NANCY BOWMAN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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