Menifee Pays Tribute to Twyman With Street Dedication

Front row, from left: Carolyn Twyman, Fred Twyman II, Jim Twyman. Back row: Rich Howard, KB Home; Adrian Peters, Brookfield Residential; Mayor Scott Mann; City Manager Rob Johnson. (Menifee 24/7 photos: Doug Spoon)

The City of Menifee paid tribute to one of the city's first council members, an influential civic leader and respected teacher Saturday morning with the dedication of Twyman Way.

Fred Twyman was remembered as a driving force behind cityhood who fought to preserve Menifee's rural legacy while advocating quality development. Twyman died June 15, 2011 at the age of 46. A longtime educator in the area and popular math teacher at Paloma Valley High School, Twyman was serving as vice mayor at the time of his death.

The street dedicated in Twyman's name is part of the newest development in Audie Murphy Ranch north of Newport Road and it borders Salt Creek -- one of Twyman's favorite parts of the natural landscape.

Many of Twyman's family members attended, including his wife Carolyn, father Frederick Twyman II, his brother Jim and his children. City officials included Mayor Scott Mann and City Manager Rob Johnson. Also participating in the ceremony were Rich Howard of KB Home, developer of the Silvercreek phase of Audie Murphy Ranch, and Adrian Peters of Brookfield Residential.

"Fred was a professional, quiet, unassuming leader," Mann said in making the dedication and presenting a plaque to Twyman's family. "Fred was always the last guy to speak in closed session, but when he talked, the room was silent. He always spoke with conviction with an understanding of the issues."

Carolyn Twyman said the ceremony and location of the street would mean a lot to her husband.

"I think he would be very happy and astonished that he made so much of an impact on the city of Menifee," she said. "It's kind of ironic because he really wanted to do something with Salt Creek."

Twyman Way is one block north of Newport Road in the Audie Murphy Ranch development and runs alongside Salt Creek.