A portion of Illinois Route 15 between Woodlawn and Mt. Vernon will be officially dedicated later this month in memory of a Southern Illinois Marine who lost his life while serving in Iraq nearly 21 years ago.
Marine Lance Corporal Jonathan Kyle Price, who died in January 2006 while serving his country, will be honored during a public highway dedication ceremony on Friday, November 20th at noon, just outside Woodlawn.
State Senator Terri Bryant of Murphysboro and State Representative Dave Severin of Benton will host the ceremony.
The Illinois General Assembly approved House Joint Resolution 62 in May, officially designating the stretch of highway as the “Lance Corporal Jonathan Kyle Price Memorial Highway.”
Severin worked with Price’s family to introduce the resolution, which received unanimous support in the Illinois House.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to express my gratitude and the gratefulness of our entire region and nation by renaming a highway close to Kyle Price’s hometown in his memory,” Severin said.
He added that the designation will serve as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made by military service members.
Senator Bryant also praised Price’s family and friends for their continued efforts to preserve his memory through charitable activities supporting young people, military families and veterans.
“Renaming a road for a fallen hero is an appropriate and meaningful way of honoring Kyle’s service and ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation,” Bryant said.
The Illinois Department of Transportation will assist with the unveiling of the memorial highway sign and coordinate any necessary traffic lane closures during the ceremony.
The dedication is open to the public.
Those planning to attend are asked to park at 5832 Illinois Route 15 in Woodlawn before proceeding to the nearby ceremony site.
The highway designation will provide a permanent tribute to Lance Corporal Price and his service to the nation.