Murfreesboro names bridge for Golczynski

Lt. Col. Richard Thompson, commander, Third Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, presents the flag that draped Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski's coffin to his 8-year-old son Christian during burial services April 4 at Wheel Cemetery. The fallen Marine died March 27 while serving in Iraq. (T-G file photo by Kay Rose) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

A new bridge in Murfreesboro has been named in honor of Staff Sgt. Marc Golczynski, the U.S. Marine who grew up in Lewisburg and was killed in combat a year ago in Iraq, by the city council.

"It is a very fitting tribute," says Michael Goodloe, a Murfreesboro businessman and friend of the Golczynski family who attended Thursday's council meeting because the fallen Marine's relatives were out of town.

Golczynski's mother, Elaine Huffines, lives south of Shelbyville near Motlow College. She teaches at Forrest High School in Chapel Hill. The slain Marine's father, Henry Golczynski, lives and works in Murfreesboro. He's the proprietor of Franklin's Printworks, where the Marine worked before returning to duty.

"We mourn the tremendous loss for his wife, Heather, his son, Christian, the entire Golczynski family and for our country," the resolution states. "Golczynski ... fought to defend our country's liberty by serving a tour of duty in Iraq and by volunteering ... to serve a second tour of duty there..."

"The day they passed the resolution was the one-year anniversary (of Golczynski's death.) It couldn't have been on a better day," Goodloe said. "The council came down and encircled me as the mayor read the resolution."

Councilman Shane McFarland said several city residents had asked about naming a bridge or road for Golczynski.

"There's nothing we could do ... to bring Marc back, so we felt it would be appropriate to memorialize him with the naming of the bridge," McFarland said.

The bridge dedicated in memory of Staff Sgt. Golczynski is five lanes wide, McFarland said.

It crosses a creek just east of Armstrong Valley Road, Murfreesboro Traffic Director Dana Richardson said. The road served by the bridge is currently known as the city's southwest loop. It was scheduled to be named Veterans Parkway by the Rutherford County Highway Commission on Tuesday.

Golczynski died in combat with Iraqi insurgents on March 27, 2007. His funeral was at Church Street Church of Christ in Lewisburg. He is buried in Wheel Cemetery.