Willie Weatherford was touched to have a park named in his honor.

“I’m humbled,” he told those in attendance at Friday morning’s dedication event of the City of Manteca’s newest park at 2405 Dilip Drive in the Raymus Homes neighborhood off of South Main Street in the Griffin Park development.

Included were local police and firefighters, dignitaries, developers, and elected leaders, to name a few.

All were part of Weatherford’s world – he served as a police officer for 29 years, retiring in 1994 as the city’s police chief.

He acknowledged the firefighters, saying: “They were just at my house.”

Weatherford enjoyed the lush green landscape of the park. “This is a beautiful park,” he said.

Construction continues to take place at Griffin Park, which will be a village of 100 exclusive homes.  In a way, this symbolized Weatherford’s time in Manteca. “It’s not just building homes, it’s about building a community,” he added.

A 1961 graduate of Galt High, he first came here in 1966. John Harris, who served alongside Weatherford for the better part of two decades on the Manteca City Council, recalled one the requirements for Weatherford to join the local police force – softball.

No problem. Willie Weatherford was a pitcher for his Galt High Warriors, playing all four years of varsity baseball.

Harris also recalled when his colleague and friend left Manteca to return to his hometown, serving a police chief for the City of Galt – he also served as the city manager – before “coming to senses” and returning to the Family City.

Harris noted that one of Weatherford’s many great attributes as mayor was his calm demeanor. He helped in making the Big League Dream sports complex a reality, never wavering during those heated meetings from those who opposed this project.

Harris credited Weatherford for pushing to have the BLD project moved from originally Woodward Park to the area of the sewer treatment plant – the synergy of BLD at that location brought about Costco, Stadium Retail Center, and the Great Wolf Lodge, to name a few.

Weatherford served 18 years on the Council including 12 as mayor. He’s the longest serving mayor in the history of Manteca.

In addition, he was involved in securing the development of the 52-acre Woodward Park, Spreckels Park, The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley, and Del Webb at Woodbridge.

Toni Raymus of Raymus Homes pointed out that no one was more deserving of having a park named in his honor than Willie Weatherford.

“He’s one of the people who really connects with the people,” she said.