Lemont bridge named for ‘hometown hero’ veteran, who died on PennDOT job in ’70s
A bridge in Lemont has been named and dedicated in honor of a veteran who worked for the state Department of Transportation for decades and died on the job.
Petty Officer John W. Coble worked as a mechanic in Centre County during his career at PennDOT, Thomas Prestash, district executive for PennDOT’s District 2, said during a dedication ceremony on Thursday.
Coble was 60 when he died as a result of a garage accident while working on June 19, 1972.
“This is something near and dear to our hearts since it’s one of our own PennDOT workers,” Prestash said. “...One of life’s most difficult challenges is losing a family member. And John’s accident reminds us that safety must always come first. And we at PennDOT worked very hard to ensure this will never happen again.”
Coble served in the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer from May 12, 1944 until he was honorably discharged on Nov. 18, 1945. Shortly after he returned home, he started working for PennDOT.
Coble had six children. A daughter, Kay Meleshenko, spoke on behalf of the family at the dedication ceremony. Coble was proud to work for PennDOT, Meleshenko said, and his tragic death was a shock to the family.
“To have this bridge in Lemont named after our father, the same town in which he was born, is a great honor,” she said.
Meleshenko said her father was a “no nonsense man,” but they all knew he loved them greatly.
“He provided a home, he worked very hard to support our large family. He had great work ethic that was passed down to all of his children. Our mother was the force behind him, and taught us the love of God, the love of family and the love of country,” Meleshenko said.
Rep. Kerry Benninghoff, R-Bellefonte, sponsored legislation to designate the bridge on East Branch Road near the Lemont traffic signal as Petty Officer John W. Coble Memorial Bridge.
PennDOT’s district 2, which covers nine counties including Centre, has 439 state owned bridges, but only six are legislatively named.
“As you can tell by the numbers, this remarkable honor is bestowed upon a few. And today, June 15, 2023, we are adding Petty Officer John W. Coble’s name to that list,” Prestash said. “From today forward, the citizens of Centre County and members of the traveling public, and all who pass through Lemont, will see the signage, honoring John and his service and sacrifice, a fitting tribute to a hometown hero and an honor that’ll be in place for generations to come.”
The Coble family, some of whom still live in the area, brought up the idea of a bridge dedication, Benninghoff said, and he was glad to see citizen involvement in the legislative process.
“They pushed through the process that was long and arduous at times. We now have multiple generations of this family here to honor somebody. You know, if we all think about our own lives, most of us want to think that our life matters, and when we’re gone we want to hope that somebody remembers us, regardless of time passage. So that’s what today is all about,” Benninghoff said.
Andy Hillegass, Honor Guard commander at VFW Post 1600, talked about Coble’s service and life.
“By all accounts, John lived his life employing the core values of the Navy: honor, courage and commitment,” Hillegass said.
The Color Guard and VFW Post 1600 in Bellefonte participated in the ceremony by performing the posting of the colors, and the retiring of the colors. Coble’s son-in-law Jeffrey Holter led a prayer at the beginning of the ceremony.
