DELAVAN, Ill. — A stretch of central Illinois highway has been renamed for a 23-year-old soldier killed in Iraq.
The Ron W. Gebur Memorial Highway was dedicated during a ceremony Wednesday, the third anniversary of Gebur's death.
It's the first Illinois roadway to be dedicated to a soldier killed in combat.
Gebur died on May 13, 2006, when the Humvee he was riding in was struck by a bomb in Baghdad.
Family members say the stretch of Route 122 is the perfect choice for Gebur because it connects his hometown of Delavan to Stanford, the hometown of his widow, Bethany.
Military colleagues note that "122" is also the nickname of his former unit, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment.
Gebur is also survived by a 3-year-old son, Gage.
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Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Ron W. Gebur Memorial Highway was dedicated during a ceremony Wednesday, the third anniversary of Gebur's death.
It's the first Illinois roadway to be dedicated to a soldier killed in combat.
Gebur died on May 13, 2006, when the Humvee he was riding in was struck by a bomb in Baghdad.
Family members say the stretch of Route 122 is the perfect choice for Gebur because it connects his hometown of Delavan to Stanford, the hometown of his widow, Bethany.
Military colleagues note that "122" is also the nickname of his former unit, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment.
Gebur is also survived by a 3-year-old son, Gage.
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Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
