Ricky Lord Memorial Highway will be dedicated Friday

By Carrie A. Mizell

Gilchrist County citizens are invited to salute one of their own Friday evening at a dedication ceremony planned to unveil the new Ricky Lord Memorial Highway sign on SR 26.
The dedication ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. between the Suwannee River Shrine Club and the turn lane going to the Suwannee River Fairgrounds on the east shoulder of the highway where a stage will be set up.
A sign designating SR 26 as “Ricky Lord Memorial Highway” will be unveiled in honor of the Trenton High School graduate who was killed in 2004 while serving the country in Iraq.
Lord was a proud Marine, who died just 10 days before his 25th birthday. At the time of his death, Lord was assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
On Friday members of Lord’s family, including his mother Karen Latham, and close friends are expected to attend the highway dedication.
The Rolling Thunder motorcycle group will also be in attendance with their motorcycles lined up along the east side of the highway to serve as a divide.
The public is invited to attend and pay tribute to an American hero who made his hometown proud.