‘Visionary’ Strickland honored

Jefferson Strickland devoted decades of his life in the pursuit to see N.C. 24 widened in Sampson County, knowing the growth and progress this county could realize with an expanded highway. He championed the cause locally and across the state, lobbying amid obstacles, roadblocks and detours that spanned a sizable chunk of his 85 years, tirelessly touting the project’s merit. What became a lifelong mission was ultimately brought to fruition in western Sampson in recent years and that bigger, better, sleeker portion of roadway will now bear Strickland’s name for generations to come.

A large crowd packed Roseboro Town Hall on Wednesday to honor Jefferson Baggett Strickland during the official dedication of Jefferson B. Strickland Highway, a ceremony hosted by the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT). Friends, colleages and dignitaries sang the praises of steadfast stalwart Strickland, and the resolve and perseverance he showed not just in his goal to see N.C. widened, but in all aspects of his life.

The ceremony culminated with the unveiling of a large, green roadside sign, similar to one that by Wednesday had already been installed along the westbound lanes of N.C. 24 just outside Clinton. Jefferson B. Strickland Highway specifically extends on N.C. 24 from Underwood Road to Dixie Road.

“There’s just so much I want to say, and so many people I want to thank — and I can’t do it, because I don’t want to leave anybody out, but I want you to feel my thanks,” said Strickland.

“This thing did begin a long time ago, but I almost can remember every meeting and every thing along the way,” he said. “There’s one thing I can hope for: that one day, sometime in the future, there will be a sign on Highway 24 — a big old sign, that you can see for miles, maybe with lights on it — and it would say ‘Welcome to Sampson County, (home of) the cleanest, safest and most appreciated highway in North Carolina.’”

A lifelong resident of Sampson, originally from the Lakewood area, Strickland was a Roseboro commissioner in the early 1970s, serving two terms as mayor pro tem. Starting in the 1980s, he worked with county and state officials, along with municipality leaders, on the endeavor to get N.C. 24 widened. That work led him to Raleigh to meet with legislators and the state transportation officials to get the project realized.

In the early 1990s, he became a member on the North Carolina Board of Transportation, another platform to remind leaders how vital the highway was to the county and the military, as the corridor from Fort Bragg to Camp Lejeune. In the 2000s, that extensive public service encompassed his time as a county commissioner, acting as a county board member from 2006 until his retirement at the end of 2014, including stints as vice-chairman and chairman.

Former N.C. House Rep. Leo Daughtry, current at-large N.C. Board of Transportation member, served as emcee for Wednesday’s event.

“The truth is everybody loves Jefferson because he’s such a good person and tries so hard to make a difference in everyone’s life,” said Daughtry. “I’m delighted to be here, delighted to see all of you and I’m particularly happy to say the nice thing and be around someone that I think so much of as Jefferson.”

Strickland was surrounded by family, friends and supporters, and its was a true family affair. The great-great-nieces and nephews of Strickland led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, Strickland’s nephew Kettrell Strickland sang The National Anthem and Strickland’s son Mark Strickland called it a “special day” for the entire Strickland family.

Impact ‘measured through generations’

It was Jefferson’s sons Mark, Neal and Stephen who were behind the application to see the naming for their father realized, an effort that began in earnest in 2022. The request was met with a groundswell of support from local government officials, including the Sampson County Board of Commissioners and Clinton City Council, before ultimately approved in August 2023 by the North Carolina Board of Transportation.

The Strickland sons, in that initial application, said that too many times, highway dedications are a posthumous occasion, and the honorees do not get to see the “fruits of their labor.” Mark Strickland said being able to share the occasion Wednesday, and seeing the attendance from a public that filled the Roseboro Town Hall, was “awesome.”

He alluded to a speech given by his father as part of an initiative called the Clinton Toyota 500, during which the dealership was attempting to sell an unprecedented 500 Toyotas in a single month — a monumental task. They ultimately sold 464.

“During this speech, he’s telling this crowd that this Toyota dealership in this small town sold 464 cars. How did this happen? Was it a phenomenon or was it an enigma?” said the younger Strickland, recalling his father’s words some 50 years ago. “How did one small area make such a difference in eastern North Carolina and beyond?”

He posed that same question at Wednesday’s ceremony, directing the question this time to his father specifically.

“Is today a phenomenon or an enigma?” he asked. “How does a young man from rural Sampson County create such a carbon footprint in his community that we can have such a special day? How does a young man from rural Sampson County make such a difference in his community that he can be honored in such a way to have a road named after him? Is this a phenomenon or an enigma I still don’t know. But what I do know is that the impact that Jefferson Baggett Strickland has made on his community will not be measured in years, but will be measured in decades and through generations.”

Longtime friend Robbie Caison, recalled the N.C. 24 project dating back to the 1960s. There was some movement in the 1980s, but that progress mostly stopped at the Cumberland County line. In March 1988, the Roseboro Area Economic Development Commission was formed, which became known as the RAED (pronounced “RAID”) Commission.

Caison wasn’t particularly fond of the moniker, which he said made them sound like they were “Roseboro’s answer to Navy Seal Team Six and Delta Force,” adding, “sometimes we felt like we were.” There were eight original members, half of which are now passed — Bill Poole, Walter Owen, Melvin Pontiff and Amos Butler, along with Jefferson Strickland, Houston Crumpler Jr., G.F. Gainey and Caison.

“Our primary focus was the betterment of Roseboro and the surrounding area,” Caison noted, saying the widening of N.C. 24 through Roseboro was among the key projects. “I was honored to serve with these icons and these legends, these men among men.”

In an effort to include the rest of the county, the Highway 24 Committee was formed, with Strickland at the helm, a no-brainer.

“I want to thank everyone who put forth the effort to bring this to fruition today,” said Caison. “Outside of my father, there are four men that had the most profound, positive influence on me — Jefferson Strickland was one of those men.”

He thanked Strickland for his leadership, his strong work ethic and, most of all, friendship. That was a common thread from each speaker who took the podium during Wednesday’s dedication, each speaking to the vision that Strickland had and how unwavering he was in seeing it through. At the same time, he was modest to a fault, and diplomatic in his purpose, never losing sight of his goal, but not being blinded by it to the extent that he rubbed people the wrong way, instead engendering a feeling of care and compassion.

“It was a pleasant experience,” said Strickland, who acknowledged former county manager Jerry Hobbs, who gave his blessing to the local transportation advisory panel, on the condition that Strickland keep him informed. “I became friends with a lot of people, in Raleigh and in the Highway Commission. Nobody ever was ill to me. They always greeted me with a hand stretched out. That was the reception I received, and it meant a lot. I had so many people helping and pushing on, hearing very, very few negative comments. My family has stood by me all these many years, and my friends have been right there with me, believing in me. That’s the attitude that the mayors have had all around us — a great working relationship. That was the motivation that I needed to keep going on.”

Benefit ‘for years to come’

That motivation burned for years, as many attested.

“Within every generation I believe God raises up leaders, visionaries, who look at their communities and determine the needs, and work their very hardest every day to meet those needs,” said Sherry Matthews, general manager at The Sampson Independent. “Jefferson Strickland is that kind of leader.”

Matthews recalled when she was first named editor of The Independent and she traveled around the community to talk with leaders about what they felt were the needs and issues facing the county. It was the spring of 1994, and one of the stops on that mission was to Strickland’s office, then at Plastic Tubing.

Strickland detailed the many obstacles he felt faced the county and his hopes for what was on the horizon.

“He kept circling back around to the four-laning of N.C. 24,” Matthews recalled. “That was his mantra. He believed that N.C. 24’s widening would make a tremendous difference in this county. He really believed that it would provide safer travel, easier travel, that it would become the corridor for the military and would be an easier way for them to travel from Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune. He also could see the possibility of economic impact, and he made me a believer too.”

That tireless work spanned the decades. He told everybody about that mission and the benefits that could come from it.

“He worked his hardest to ensure that N.C. 24 would become the highway he believed it could be in Sampson County,” said Matthews. “That we’re naming a portion of that road after him is only fitting. Jefferson Strickland has always looked at the needs of Sampson County, not just for the roads, but in every way, and I am absolutely humbled and privileged to be able to publicly thank him — first of all, for being my friend, but secondly, for all that he’s done for this county and the generations that will have this benefit for years to come.”

Strickland has spent his entire adult life trying to help the lives of Sampson County residents, from his beginning at Clinton Toyota in the 1970s to his role as a county commissioner. Strickland graduated from Salemburg High School in 1956 and then from East Carolina University in 1960. There, he met his future wife, Sue. The two married in 1961 and have been together for more than six decades.

Sue stood by Jefferson on Wednesday, with son Stephen, as the sign was unveiled, with N.C. Senator Brent Jackson and Daughtry on the other side, the crowd in attendance looking on and applauding.

Jerol Kivett, chairman of the Sampson County Board of Commissioners, said Wednesday’s occasion and the highway naming was a testament to Strickland’s commitment to his community, his county and his state.

“Roads are a lifeline connecting cities and towns, bringing people together and facilitating vital transportation needs. They are the physical embodiment of progress,” said Kivett. “The name we bestow on a road carries with it a profound responsibility, reflecting the values and aspirations we hold dear. In this regard, the road we celebrate today is more than just a stretch of concrete or asphalt. It’s an enduring tribute to an individual who has made an indelible mark on our county. This road bears the name of someone who has exemplified leadership, service, dedication — someone whose contribution has resonated far and wide.”

Kivett recalled when he was first approached by Strickland and Billy Lockamy more than a decade ago to be part of the local Transportation Advisory Group, a panel that would assess needs follow transportation issues and trends and lobby of behalf of local projects. Kivett later became the chairman of the board, following in Strickland’s footsteps — large shoes to fill, he noted.

“Everywhere I’d go, Jefferson’s name would come up. Whenever you’d talk 24, it was synonymous — Jefferson Strickand,” Kivett stated. “He leads by example and he’s persistent. Today, we pay homage to Jefferson Strickland by etching his name into the very fabric of our community.”

The naming was not just about the past, but an investment in the future, said Kivett, a reminder to future generations that choices we make today will shape the landscape they inherit.

“By naming this road in honor of Mr. Jefferson Strickland, we remind ourselves that progress is not just about brick, mortar and asphalt, but it’s about the values we stand for, the causes we champion and the dreams we nurture,” said Kivett. “In naming this road, we seek to inspire others to follow in the footsteps of Jefferson Strickland. We hope that it will serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for those that traverse its path, reminding them of their own capacity to make a difference. May it continue to inspire generations to come and be a reminder of the remarkable individuals who have shaped our community. Let us celebrate this road naming with gratitude, pride and aspirations for a brighter future.”

A humble visionary

Senator Brent Jackson, a longtime friend and colleague of Strickland, acknowledged Strickland’s family, and wife Sue.

“There will never be enough said about Jefferson’s work on Highway 24,” said Jackson. “When you think of Highway 24 in Clinton, you think of Jefferson and all those who have worked on this road. I’m just thankful we are able to name a section after Jefferson, because I know it’s his lifelong dream to get this thing to (Interstate 40). We’re almost there, and we’ll get it there. Let’s hope it doesn’t take as long as it has in the past.”

Jackson said he couldn’t imagine the frustration Strickland must have felt over the decades, trying, sometimes in vain, to get make headway on the project.

“Your dedication to this project for Sampson County can never, ever be fully appreciated or honored enough in my opinion,” said Jackson. “I know you’re extremely proud, honored and humbled — because I know you well enough to know that — to have a section of this new 24 be named in your honor. It is certainly well-deserved.”

He, like others, pointed to the economic impact that can be seen in the wake of an expanded highway system. Those effects are already being seen in the western and central parts of Sampson, including in Autryville, Salemburg and Roseboro, said Jackson, an Autryville native. The senator pointed specifically to the number of homes sprouting up in the Autryville area.

He said the N.C. 24 growth was an integral part of that, the catalyst that sparked the growth now coming to the county.

“You can jump on it and, in a few minutes, you’re in Fayetteville, or you’re on (I-95) and you’re not far from anywhere you want to go. So thank you for that, Jefferson,” he said. “Thank you for your vision — because you’re definitely a visionary, there’s no doubt about it. It had to be a true burning desire to have this project dreamed, created and completed. I can only see this economic development progressing more and more as we move further through the years and decades. And every time we travel and see the growth this highway has brought to this county, Jefferson, your hard work will be appreciated even more than today. So I say, a job well done.”

Bill Grainger, owner of Grainger Honda of Savannah, Ga., was in attendance at Wednesday’s ceremony. Strickland recognized him by name.

“You folks don’t know Jeff like I do,” said Grainger, as Strickland’s jokingly tried to cut him off. “I knoew him back during the Clinton 500. When that happened, I had never met Jeff. I heard about him, but never met him. I made a special effort to meet him, and I loved him from the moment I met him and I’ve been friends with him ever since. I’ve traveled the world with Jeff and I’ve seen the good and the bad, and let me tell you, the bad in Jeff is better than most. I’ll always love you Jeff, and I’ll always appreciate you.”

He called his longtime friend “the greatest peacemaker” and a comfort to those who have had the pleasure to know him.

“If he’s your friend, you don’t need many,” said Grainger, “but as friends go, you need Jeff, because he will be there. What a guy — the man, the legend. Thank you for being a son of Roseboro and Sampson County, and being the man you are, and meaning to them what you have meant. Being here today swells my heart and makes me proud.”

Chad Kimes, Division 3 engineer for NCDOT, presented Strickland with specially-made coins and pins, officially enshrining him as part of the “Division 3 family” for life.

At the tail end of the ceremony, the Rev. Bobby Herring of Roseboro Methodist Church offered a few words, alluding to a recent discussion he had with Strickland.

“He said all these years that he worked on this project, and all the projects he participated in, he said that it was never a one-man show; we always worked as a team,” said Herring. “He said I met a lot of great people, served with a lot of great friends, that it wouldn’t be right to just start naming people because a lot would be left out, and I understood what he meant. Mr. Jefferson is the humblest man I have ever met. I’ve never heard him give any speeches where he did not recognize other folks. Mr. Jefferson, you’ve always shown your heart to this community, this church and to the state.”