Route 31 renamed for fallen soldier in North Aurora

Christopher Patterson's life was never just about Christopher Patterson and as family, friends and state leaders gathered Saturday to dedicate a sign renaming Route 31 in North Aurora in honor of the young soldier, his parents asked the crowd to remember that essential truth.

"I hope every time you drive down this road and you see this sign, you will think of all those who paid the price for your freedoms - not just Christopher," Mary Patterson said.

The 20-year-old specialist in the 713th Engineer Company of the Indiana Army National Guard perished with three fellow soldiers in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb exploded while they were on patrol. He was a graduate of West Aurora High School.

Robert Patterson drew chuckles when he described his son as "never super-athletic," adding that during cross-country runs in middle school, "Chris made sure everyone was accounted for and no one fell behind him."

But one military training session, Christopher finished first during an arduous run, then circled back and encouraged the last person in line. "He wanted to be sure everyone succeeded," his father said.

Prior to the unveiling of the "Spc. Christopher A. Patterson Memorial Highway" sign, Valparaiso University alumni sang the national anthem. Patterson was a sophomore majoring in music education at Valparaiso and could have deferred his deployment but wanted to stick with his unit.

Matthew Maske, who was in the Phi Mu Alpha Sinphonia music fraternity with Patterson, remembered his friend's tenor voice in concert soloing the last verse of the "Green Fields of France," a poignant ballad about a 19-year-old who dies in World War I.

"It was a fantastic solo," Maske said. "Not long after he shipped out for his last training and deployment."

Dave Gier of the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders helped mobilize Illinois lawmakers to authorize the redesignation of Route 31.

"It took a lot of phone calls, a lot of back and forth and a lot of moving parts but we got it done," said Gier.

"I hope (the Pattersons) have got some closure out of this."

Among the lawmakers at the event was Gov. Bruce Rauner. "You have a hole in your hearts no one can ever fill," Rauner told the North Aurora family. "What we can commit to do is never forget."

His mom described her son as a college student, a musician, a child of God, and a soldier. "He enjoyed blowing things up, that's why he became a sapper," she said jokingly referring to Christopher's training in finding and removing explosives.

Many at the ceremony wore red in memory of ginger-haired Christopher, including his parents and three brothers.

"You will always be in my heart," Mary Patterson said.