Lee Fox and Tom Seely honored for service
Morgan County Sheriff Ron McIntire presented both Lee Fox and Tom Seely with the Sheriff's Extraordinary Citizen award in a ceremony October 16 at the Morgan County Sheriff's Department.
It gives me great honor and privilege to present these awards, McIntire said.
Lee Fox
Fox has been a member of local law enforcement agencies for nearly 44 years. In addition, he has been a volunteer with the Berkeley Springs Volunteer Fire Department for 53 years.
Recently, Fox has been in charge of the Morgan County Sheriff's Reserve Deputy Program.
Earlier in his career, Fox and McIntire worked together as officers in the Berkeley Springs Police Department.
Fox was on duty the night in 1974 when the Washington Hotel burned down. He was the first to spot the blaze and alert area fire and rescue teams.
Before help arrived, Fox raised a ladder to some upper story windows and helped people escape from the fire.
At the Apple Butter Festival this weekend, a man who had been a child in 1974 walked up to Fox and thanked him for saving his life.
Tom Seely
Seely volunteered and served with the American Volunteer Group, better known as General Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers, just prior to the start of, and during, World War II.
After the war, Seely came back to Morgan County and opened his hugely successful Tom Seely Furniture business.
When Seely retired and sold his business, he started with his wife the Tom and Virginia Seely Foundation. The foundation helps fund many youth groups and activities in Morgan County including the Boys & Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the purchase of school supplies for children.
He is awfully generous and wouldn't turn down any worthy request for the children, Morgan County Sheriff Reserve Deputy Gerald Chaskers said.
The foundation also supports the Sheriff's D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Program.
As a result of his programs, he has kept many of our kids out of trouble, McIntire said about Seely's work with the foundation.
Also on hand for the award presentations, were Morgan County Reserve Deputies P. L. Schoentube, Paul Woodward, Carol Fox, and Morgan County Sheriff's Deputies Vince Shambaugh and Tony Link and Bath Mayor Susan Webster.
