WELLSBURG -- Local officials and residents are remembering the late Dan Gilchrist, a Brooke County commissioner for 18 years, and his involvement in projects ranging from the extension of sewer lines to unserved communities to the development of the Brooke County Pioneer Trail.
Dan Gilchrist, who was 85, died Friday.
West Virginia University Extension agent Norm Schwertfeger, who served with Gilchrist on the county commission, said, "Danny and I were very good friends and worked well together. I admired his leadership, his compassion and his energy on behalf of the residents of Brooke County."
Schwertfeger noted Gilchrist worked with him and fellow commissioner Henry Wilson to secure grants for sewer line projects for various areas of the county, including more than $9 million awarded for the Eldersville Road-Cross Creek area.
"We were very aggressive in going after grants, and Danny was always up for that," he said.
The dredging of Harmon Creek to deter flooding in Colliers was a pet project for Gilchrist, who also worked with fellow commissioners to establish the county's emergency 911 center and supported the establishment of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle.
Ruby Greathouse, volunteer curator of the Brooke County Museum and officer of the Brooke County Pioneer Trail Association, said Gilchrist supported both endeavors, supporting grant applications pursued to develop and pave the trail along a former railroad bed and improvements to the former museum at Main and Eighth streets.
"Those three (Gilchrist, Schwertfeger and Wilson) were there at a time I needed them," said Greathouse, who added Gilchrist and the others visited the museum and trail to see how the money was spent and were on hand for celebrations of their development.
Schwertfeger noted Gilchrist, a Republican "had the support of the community when there weren't many registered Republican voters."
Tim Ennis, current president of the Brooke County Commission, said during Gilchrist's tenure as commissioner, there were always at least 1,000 voters who cast a straight Democratic ticket, but Gilchrist's reputation earned him support from voters in both parties.
"People knew his character and work ethic and gave him their bipartisan support," said Ennis, a former state legislator who worked with Gilchrist in securing state grants and supporting such projects as the new Ohio River bridge now under construction.
Ennis said as county commissioner, "I've called him many times to ask him for input about something in county government with which he had experience."
"Danny Gilchrist was a classy guy who loved Brooke County and spent much of his life trying to improve it," he added.
On a lighter note, Greathouse noted Gilchrist, as a boy, was the winner of the first Wellsburg Oil Can Derby, a soapbox-style race held on Independence Day.
She noted a photo of Gilchrist with the car in 1947 is on display with the car itself at the museum.
When the race was revived in recent years, he returned to serve as honorary marshal.
In addition to serving as president of the county commission for eight years, Gilchrist was president of the Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission's executive board, scoutmaster for a local Cub Scout pack, president of the Brooke County Easter Seal Society and Wellsburg Lions Club and member of several civic groups.
He worked for more than 46 years at Banner Fibreboard, 11 of them as its general manager.
He is survived by Joan, his wife of 65 years; two sons, Daniel and Michael; a daughter, Brenda Jo Kerr; Tracy Gilchist, the wife of his late son, Kurt; a sister, Sharon Conaway; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)