HJ0039 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0039 LRB103 32551 MST 62137 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General Assembly pays honor and respect to truly great individuals who have served our country and, in doing so, have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth was born on May 28, 1982 in Mattoon, the oldest son of Robert and Kimberly Pierson Southworth; he was raised and educated in Oakland and graduated from Oakland High School in 2000; he later graduated from Lakeland College and Eastern Illinois University, where he was in the ROTC program; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Southworth married Chrissy Lynn Royer at the Oakland Christian Church on March 24, 2001; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Southworth was part of the HHC 2/130 Infantry Division of the Illinois National Guard and a United States Army Ranger; he lived his life by the motto "God, Family, Country"; he was a member of the Oakland Christian Church, a devoted husband, father, son, and brother, and loved the National Guard, considering it his privilege to serve his country; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Southworth served the community of Oakland as a part-time police officer and befriended many; he will always be remembered for his abilities on the baseball field and for his general love of life; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Southworth was killed while serving his country in Helmand, Afghanistan on February 8, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Southworth was preceded in death by his great-grandmother, Ettoil Coon; his paternal grandfather, William Southworth; and his maternal grandfather, Robert Pierson; and

WHEREAS, At the time of his passing, Lieutenant Southworth was survived by his wife, Chrissy Southworth; his four children, Logan, Owen, Carly, and Ally; his parents, Bob and Kim Southworth; his brother, Michael Southworth and his fiancée, Katie O'Connor; his sister, Nikki Bancroft and her husband, Brian; his nephew, Preston Bancroft; his paternal grandmother, Karen Watson; and his maternal grandparents, Gene and Joan Hartke; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the section of Illinois 133 in Oakland as the "Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth Memorial Highway"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the family of Lieutenant Southworth, the Mayor of Oakland, and the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.