Solemn Memorial Recalls Dentist Killed In Bicycle Accident
Michael Marston 04.DEC.04
Dr. Marc Webb, a Royal Palm Beach resident killed in a traffic accident in Wellington a year ago, was honored last Friday with a memorial marker placed near the site of the accident. Webb died Nov. 26, 2003 after a landscaping truck hit him while he was riding a bicycle on Forest Hill Blvd.
Village employees, friends and family, including Webb’s widow Linda and their children Michael and Suzanne, gathered for a solemn roadside ceremony, which took place on the first anniversary of the tragedy.
Linda contacted the village in September after she read an article in the Town-Crier detailing Wellington’s new memorial marker program. Linda said she hoped the memorial would make motorists and bicyclists more aware of the need for road safety. She added that the placement of the memorial marker gave her a sense of closure.
At the ceremony, Linda recalled her husband as being a generous man. Webb practiced dentistry in Jupiter for 22 years, and Linda noted how he treated one family that could not afford dentistry for 20 years for free. He also raised $4,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, according to Linda, which allowed him to participate in their Ride to Cure Diabetes, a 100-mile bike race in California in May 2003.
Allison Reich, a 14-year-old niece of Webb, was deeply affected by the loss of her uncle. Like Linda, she hoped that people would notice the sign and become more aware of the need for road safety. Allison’s mother Wendy said Webb was very smart and great with the family. “He was a real family man, good husband and loved getting together on holidays,” she said.
Wheels of Wellington owner Stan Kilbas was at the memorial ceremony. Webb frequented his shop for years. “He had come up with unique ideas for what he wanted to do with these bikes,” Kilbas recalled. “He was always up-to-date on the latest things coming out. He is sadly missed.”
Webb was killed early on a weekday morning near the intersection of Wellington Trace and Forest Hill Blvd. He had been riding his recumbent bike to meet fellow members of the West Palm Beach Bicycle Club at the Wellington Town Square shopping center. The memorial marker was placed on the west side of Forest Hill Blvd., near St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office ended up ticketing truck driver Loreto Sopena for careless driving and driving with an improper license, according to Steve Lipinski, a detective with the PBSO Vehicle Homicide Unit.
Len Handel, one of several members of the West Palm Beach Bicycle Club who turned out for the ceremony, said Palm Beach County is one of the worst areas in the country for bicycle safety, and motorists need to respect the rights of bicyclists on the road. Handel said he himself was also hit by a motorist while cycling. That accident, which Handel said happened in front of Wellington Regional Medical Center, left him with a shattered pelvis.
The Webb memorial marker was the first of its kind placed by the Village of Wellington to increase public awareness of roadway safety and memorialize people who died in vehicle-related crashes. Family members of people killed in vehicle-related crashes can request that a memorial marker be placed in rights-of-way in Wellington. Friends of those killed in vehicle-related crashes can also ask the village to have a memorial marker placed as long as they have the permission of the family of the deceased. All of the costs for construction, installation and maintenance of memorial markers are covered by the village.
 |
| Marc Webb's window Linda, pictured to the right of the memorial marker, read a statement at the ceremony. |
Dr. Marc Webb, a Royal Palm Beach resident killed in a traffic accident in Wellington a year ago, was honored last Friday with a memorial marker placed near the site of the accident. Webb died Nov. 26, 2003 after a landscaping truck hit him while he was riding a bicycle on Forest Hill Blvd.
Village employees, friends and family, including Webb’s widow Linda and their children Michael and Suzanne, gathered for a solemn roadside ceremony, which took place on the first anniversary of the tragedy.
Linda contacted the village in September after she read an article in the Town-Crier detailing Wellington’s new memorial marker program. Linda said she hoped the memorial would make motorists and bicyclists more aware of the need for road safety. She added that the placement of the memorial marker gave her a sense of closure.
At the ceremony, Linda recalled her husband as being a generous man. Webb practiced dentistry in Jupiter for 22 years, and Linda noted how he treated one family that could not afford dentistry for 20 years for free. He also raised $4,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, according to Linda, which allowed him to participate in their Ride to Cure Diabetes, a 100-mile bike race in California in May 2003.
Allison Reich, a 14-year-old niece of Webb, was deeply affected by the loss of her uncle. Like Linda, she hoped that people would notice the sign and become more aware of the need for road safety. Allison’s mother Wendy said Webb was very smart and great with the family. “He was a real family man, good husband and loved getting together on holidays,” she said.
Wheels of Wellington owner Stan Kilbas was at the memorial ceremony. Webb frequented his shop for years. “He had come up with unique ideas for what he wanted to do with these bikes,” Kilbas recalled. “He was always up-to-date on the latest things coming out. He is sadly missed.”
Webb was killed early on a weekday morning near the intersection of Wellington Trace and Forest Hill Blvd. He had been riding his recumbent bike to meet fellow members of the West Palm Beach Bicycle Club at the Wellington Town Square shopping center. The memorial marker was placed on the west side of Forest Hill Blvd., near St. David’s-in-the-Pines Episcopal Church.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office ended up ticketing truck driver Loreto Sopena for careless driving and driving with an improper license, according to Steve Lipinski, a detective with the PBSO Vehicle Homicide Unit.
Len Handel, one of several members of the West Palm Beach Bicycle Club who turned out for the ceremony, said Palm Beach County is one of the worst areas in the country for bicycle safety, and motorists need to respect the rights of bicyclists on the road. Handel said he himself was also hit by a motorist while cycling. That accident, which Handel said happened in front of Wellington Regional Medical Center, left him with a shattered pelvis.
The Webb memorial marker was the first of its kind placed by the Village of Wellington to increase public awareness of roadway safety and memorialize people who died in vehicle-related crashes. Family members of people killed in vehicle-related crashes can request that a memorial marker be placed in rights-of-way in Wellington. Friends of those killed in vehicle-related crashes can also ask the village to have a memorial marker placed as long as they have the permission of the family of the deceased. All of the costs for construction, installation and maintenance of memorial markers are covered by the village.