Funeral services planned for Illinois soldier

JACKSONVILLE -- Funeral services are planned for a 29-year-old Illinois soldier who died in Afghanistan.

Sgt. Matthew Weikert of Jacksonville was killed July 17 in the Paktika province when his unit was attacked with an improvised explosive device.

Funeral services will be held Monday at the Buchanan & Cody Funeral Home in Jacksonville. He'll be buried with military honors at Liberty Cemetery, which is west of Jacksonville.

Weikert joined the Army in September 2002. He arrived at Fort Campbell in Kentucky in October 2005.

He is survived by his parents.

Weikert's body arrived in Springfield on Saturday morning. Nearly 100 people gathered for the solemn procession.