Portrait of John Fishwick hangs on wall in middle school named in his honor

ROANOKE, Va.- – A Roanoke City Middle School officially has a new name. The former Stonewall Jackson Middle School in southeast Roanoke is now Fishwick Middle School.

It was renamed for John Fishwick, a native of the neighborhood who served as Norfolk and Western's CEO from 1970 to 1981. The school was re-dedicated last night with Fishwick's widow and son in the audience. His son says this is the perfect way to honor his dad's legacy.

"He was very proud of Roanoke and he wanted to make sure people had opportunities in life. That's what he was all about. No matter what your background was in life, you had an opportunity to succeed in life. He wanted the message to go forward and it will," said John P. Fishwick, Jr. 

A portrait of Fishwick, who died in 2010, will hang in the middle school.


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Irisha joined the WSLS news team in January 2017 after spending four years as a reporter in Georgia.