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Richardson Commemorates Bender Family with Road Naming

July 15, 2022
Tracy M. Richardson News
State Representative Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) poses with, from left to right, Ohio Highway State Patrol Lt. Col. Charles Jones, Craig Massie and Marion County Sherriff Matt Bayles in front of the road sign that will designate a portion of state Route 309 in Marion County the Deputy Sherriff Bill Bender and Trooper Randy Bender Memorial Highway. The sign was unveiled at a ceremony Friday at the Marion County Sherriff’s office.
State Representative Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) poses with, from left to right, Ohio Highway State Patrol Lt. Col. Charles Jones, Craig Massie and Marion County Sherriff Matt Bayles in front of the road sign that will designate a portion of state Route 309 in Marion County the Deputy Sherriff Bill Bender and Trooper Randy Bender Memorial Highway. The sign was unveiled at a ceremony Friday at the Marion County Sherriff’s office. 

COLUMBUS – State Representative Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) joined members of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department and Ohio State Highway Patrol on Friday to commemorate Deputy Sheriff Bill Bender and his son Trooper Randy Bender by creating a memorial in their honor. The memorial is along state Route 309 between Marion-Williamsport Road and Holland Road.

Richardson introduced legislation that was later amended into House Bill 291 and unanimously passed through the General Assembly before being signed into law in April. 

“It was an honor to bring forth this legislation to commemorate the Bender family for their public service,” said Richardson. “Both father and son pledged their lives to protect a community that they called home. To see the people on hand at the ceremony shows how much of an impact the Bender’s have in Marion and the county. It was a privilege to be there today.”  

  Deputy Bender was killed on July 2, 1973 in an automobile accident while he was en route to setup a roadblock in connection to an escapee from a local jail. Trooper Bender also died in the line of duty on November 20, 1982 after he was struck by a tractor trailer while directing traffic in a construction zone.