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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
3Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals
4who have served our country; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Bryant J. "B.J." Luxmore was born on November 3,
61986; he grew up in New Windsor with his parents, Brenda and
7Leonard Luxmore, and his brother, Brock; and
 
8    WHEREAS, B.J. was a hometown boy, and he loved the small
9community he came from; he was an avid athlete and student who
10graduated from Sherrard High School in 2005; in high school, he
11was an excellent athlete in football and baseball; he continued
12his baseball career at the collegiate level at Monmouth College
13and Illinois College, where he graduated in 2009; and
 
14    WHEREAS, B.J. entered the United States Army in April of
152011 as an infantryman; he was assigned to the 1st Battalion,
1664th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd
17Infantry Division; after honoring his parents' wishes for him
18to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree, he pursued his passion
19to enlist; and
 
20    WHEREAS, B.J. married Jaimie Lower on October 8, 2011 and
21relocated to Fort Stewart, Georgia to begin a life together

 

 

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1with their son, Lane; he was family-oriented and enjoyed
2spending any free time he had at home teaching Lane to play
3baseball; and
 
4    WHEREAS, B.J. deployed to Afghanistan in March of 2012; he
5died in the service of his country at the age of 25 in Panjwai,
6Afghanistan when he suffered injuries while encountering enemy
7small arms fire; he was posthumously promoted to the rank of
8corporal and awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the
9Combat Infantry Badge; and
 
10    WHEREAS, B.J. is survived by his wife, Jaimie; his son,
11Lane; his parents; his brother, Brock, and his wife, Melissa;
12his maternal grandparents, William and Marcia Johnson; his
13paternal grandmother, Donna Jo Luxmore; and many aunts, uncles,
14cousins, nieces, and nephews; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Anyone who knew B.J. knew that family was the most
16important thing to him; he was a homebody and a huge sports
17fan; he and his brother were always outside throwing a football
18or baseball; he continued his love of sports with Lane and
19instilled the importance of being a St. Louis Cardinals fan;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, B.J. was a quiet hero who was looked up to by
22everyone who knew him, as he took his work seriously but had an

 

 

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1amazing sense of humor and quick wit that made him so much fun
2to be around; his dedication, heroism, and courage will never
3be forgotten by his family, his city, his State, or his
4country; and
 
5    WHEREAS, His heart was huge and his smile was infectious;
6his first entry in his journal he kept in Afghanistan read, "If
7you don't live for something, you will die for nothing"; CPL
8Bryant J. Luxmore lived and died for all of us; therefore, be
9it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
11NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
12SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the portion of
13Illinois Route 17 from the Henry/Mercer County Line to the
14Village of Viola as the CPL Bryant J. Luxmore Memorial Highway;
15and be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
17is requested to erect, at suitable locations consistent with
18State and federal regulations, an appropriate plaque or signs
19giving notice of the name of the CPL Bryant J. Luxmore Memorial
20Highway; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
22presented to the family of Bryant J. Luxmore and the Secretary

 

 

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1of the Illinois Department of Transportation.