Warrenville post office may be renamed for fallen soldier

As a child, Jeffrey Allen Williams ran so many errands to the post office in Warrenville for his mother that he befriended employees and ended up spending more time there than his mom would have liked.

Now, two years after Williams was killed while serving as an Army medic in Iraq, his mother, Sandra Smith, is leading an effort to rename the post office the Jeffrey Allen Williams Post Office of Warrenville.

And she's got the support of some state and federal lawmakers who are eager to make it happen.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn said Smith called his office last week, asking him to continue pushing a request that she made in September 2005 -- weeks after Williams was killed by an improvised explosive device.

Quinn said the project is moving forward. But, he said, it's time consuming because of the federal requirements for renaming a post office.

"Those are federal buildings," Quinn said Thursday. "So it will take an act of Congress to grant her request. But we've gotten the verbal support from the correct people to make it happen."

Representatives for Quinn have requested help from former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who represents the 14th District Williams where grew up.

In May 2006, Quinn and Hastert were successful in renaming a St. Charles post office in memory of fallen soldier Jacob L. Frazier.

"Families all have different ideas of what is the correct way to memorialize their loved ones," Quinn said. "Renaming a post office in their loved one's hometown makes sense to serve as a permanent reminder. Jeffrey was a great young man who gave his life for our country and his family is an outstanding one."

Smith agrees, despite having since moved to Mansfield, Texas with her family.

The family still visits Warrenville up to three times a year to see friends, family and to visit nearby Main Street Baptist Church in Aurora. Seeing Williams' name on the post office when she visits would be as special to her as last year when Wheaton Warrrenville South High School retired his No. 13 jersey.

"Renaming that post office I sent him to so many times would be the most awesome thing for me and my family," she said. "He was an outstanding guy and was always working steps ahead. He never gave me any problems growing up either."

Lulu Blacksmith, a spokeswoman for Hastert, said the office is waiting for the official paperwork before proceeding with the request.

"Renaming federal buildings can be a lengthy process," she said.