Montana Department of Transportation Announces Employee Memorial
By Denise Rivette
Today, the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) announced the creation of a memorial to honor department employees who tragically passed away in service to the state of Montana.
"This memorial honors our employees who have lost their lives while serving Montana," said MDT Director Malcolm "Mack" Long. "It is a reminder to always drive safely, especially when passing through work zones."
The memorial is located at MDT Headquarters, the Dave Manning Memorial Building, at 2701 Prospect Avenue in Helena. MDT will hold a dedication ceremony for the new memorial on April 16 as part of National Work Zone Awareness Week.
The following are MDT employees who lost their lives during service to Montana since 1959:
Jeffrey Dyekman, Billings District Construction, 2018.
Jason Rolls, Missoula District Maintenance, 2015.
Frank Brzoticky, Great Falls Maintenance, 2003.
Eldon Patterson, Helena Equipment Shop, 1996.
Gary Steffensmier, Great Falls Maintenance, 1996.
Rodney L. Phillips, Helena Traffic Engineer, 1986.
Baron “Skip” Gray, Missoula District Maintenance, 1983.
Harry Paulsen, Glendive District Maintenance, 1970.
Vernon Winship, Great Falls Equipment Shop, 1966.
Gerald Williams, Glendive District Maintenance, 1964.
If you have a loved one who lost their life during service to MDT, and whose name is not listed above, please complete the Application for Consideration. Applications will be reviewed by the MDT Employee Memorial Committee and presented to the Director, Deputy Director, and Chief Operations Officer for consideration.
Criteria for consideration includes:
Employed by MDT and working on a project or in the right of way.
The fatality meets the accidental death criteria established by the Workers Compensation Division of the Department of Labor and Industry.
The death occurred between 1959 and present.
The public is encouraged to contact MDT Facilities Bureau Chief Mike Murolo at 406-444-6163 or Public Involvement Specialist Natalee Stout at 406-444-6021 with questions or comments.
For more information about MDT's employee memorial, visit https://mdt.mt.gov/mdt/memorial.aspx.