Sen. Rose Honors Two Local Fallen Soldiers by Renaming Roads

Section of Illinois 133 in Oakland as the “Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth Memorial Highway” and a section of US Route 40 through Casey as the “Army Specialist Charles Lamb Memorial Highway”.

Springfield, IL–State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) is honoring two fallen soldiers by designating a section of Illinois 133 in Oakland as the “Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth Memorial Highway” and a section of US Route 40 through Casey as the “Army Specialist Charles Lamb Memorial Highway”.

Senator Rose is the Senate sponsor of HJR 39 and HJR 50 to honor Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth and Specialist Charles Lamb.

“I am deeply honored to have passed this resolution, ensuring that their bravery and dedication will be forever honored,” said Sen. Rose. “I hope that this action, over Memorial Day weekend, will remind all of us of the selfless courage and dedication of all of our servicemen and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country”.

HJR 39 honors Lieutenant Jared W. Southworth, who was born on May 28, 1982, in Mattoon, Illinois. Raised in Oakland, he graduated from Oakland High School in 2000 and later from Lakeland College and Eastern Illinois University, where he participated in ROTC. He married Chrissy Lynn Royer in 2001. Southworth served in the HHC 2/130 Infantry Division of the Illinois National Guard and was a U.S. Army Ranger, living by the motto “God, Family, Country.” He was also a part-time police officer in Oakland and a beloved community member. Lieutenant Southworth was killed in Helmand, Afghanistan, on February 8, 2009.

HJR 50 honors Specialist Charles Lamb, born on January 12, 1981, in Paris, Illinois. Lamb graduated from Casey-Westfield High School in 1999 and worked as an auto mechanic. He was a Specialist E-4 with the 1544th Illinois Army National Guard Transportation Unit and was killed in a mortar attack near Baghdad on September 5, 2004. Lamb enjoyed fishing, riding four-wheelers and motorbikes, and spending time with family and friends.

“As John 15:13 reads, ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ We are so grateful for these heroes and their Gold Star families,” said Sen. Rose. “There’s nothing more we can say, nothing more we can do, all we can hope is that our tributes today will bring peace to their loved ones and family that are still here.”