Full Text of HJR0052 98th General Assembly
HJ0052 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
| | HJ0052 | | LRB098 14129 GRL 48710 r |
|
| 1 | | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, It is appropriate for us to remember the many | 3 | | sacrifices and contributions to the cause of freedom made by | 4 | | the outstanding men and women who served in the United States | 5 | | Armed Forces and gave the ultimate sacrifice defending | 6 | | America's freedom; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda was one of seven | 8 | | members of the 2nd Marine Division whose lives were lost on | 9 | | March 18, 2013, in an explosion during training at the | 10 | | Hawthorne Army Depot in western Nevada; he was the most senior | 11 | | of those lost on that day, both in age and rank; and | 12 | | WHEREAS, Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda was born January 6, | 13 | | 1987 in Breese and graduated from Highland High School in 2005; | 14 | | during high school, he played football and was involved in the | 15 | | school's annual madrigal dinner; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, After high school, Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda | 17 | | attended St. Xavier University in Chicago for a year and then | 18 | | enrolled in and graduated from the L'Ecole Culinaire School in | 19 | | St. Louis, Missouri; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Being an avid traveler, Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda | 21 | | felt a calling to explore the world by becoming a Marine in |
| | | HJ0052 | - 2 - | LRB098 14129 GRL 48710 r |
|
| 1 | | 2008; while at Camp Lejeune, he developed a passion for | 2 | | sailing, bought a two-person sailboat, and often took friends | 3 | | out on a bay near the base; and
| 4 | | WHEREAS, While enlisted in the Marine Corps, Corporal Aaron | 5 | | J. Ripperda traveled to several countries, including Haiti to | 6 | | help with recovery efforts after the 2010 earthquake, and | 7 | | Afghanistan; in April of 2011, he was promoted to the rank of | 8 | | corporal; among his numerous honors were a Navy Unit | 9 | | Commendation and a Humanitarian Service Medal; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda is survived by his | 11 | | father, Kent (Colleen) Ripperda; his mother, Tina (Jeff) | 12 | | Sutton; his sister, Kendall (significant other, Charlie Swaim) | 13 | | Ripperda; his paternal grandmother, Rita Ripperda; his | 14 | | maternal grandfather, Ronald (Jackie) Lesicko; his special | 15 | | friend, Jessica Iskrzycki; his aunts and uncles, Kurt (Lynn) | 16 | | Ripperda, Cara (significant other, John Zerkle) Tomasek, | 17 | | William (Beverly) Lesicko, Patrick (Julie) Lesicko; and his | 18 | | many cousins; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General | 20 | | Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals | 21 | | who have served our country and, in doing so, have gone above | 22 | | and beyond the call of duty to take part in truly heroic tasks; | 23 | | therefore, be it |
| | | HJ0052 | - 3 - | LRB098 14129 GRL 48710 r |
|
| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 2 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 3 | | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the portion of | 4 | | Illinois Route 143 within the city limits of Highland as the | 5 | | Cpl. Aaron J. Ripperda Memorial Highway; and be it further
| 6 | | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | 7 | | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | 8 | | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | 9 | | giving notice of the name of the Cpl. Aaron J. Ripperda | 10 | | Memorial Highway; and be it further | 11 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 12 | | presented to the family of Corporal Aaron J. Ripperda and the | 13 | | Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation.
|
|