North Aurora dedicates veterans memorial

In Floyd Croyl's neighborhood, there is now a constant reminder of North Aurora's thanks for his military service.

"I think this is one of the best things that could have happened here," Croyl, an 86-year-old Army veteran, said of the village's new veterans memorial.

On Sunday, village officials and veterans groups officially dedicated the memorial near the intersection of Willow Way and Farview Drive.

Village President John Hansen helped get the effort started and put together a veterans committee three years ago.

"I just felt the village should have something, as big as we are," he said. "We have wonderful people in town, and now we have something to call our own."

The final price tag on the project was about $120,000 and financed mostly by donations.

"This memorial was truly a community effort," Hansen told the group gathered for its dedication.

The horseshoe-shaped memorial has five pillars and plaques for each branch of the military and a plaque with the names of five North Aurora residents who died while serving.

A small, bubbling fountain in the middle is intended to symbolize perpetual gratitude and mourning, said Jim Bibby of engineers Rempe-Sharpe and Associates of Geneva.

On Sunday, a bouquet of red, white and blue flowers sat next to the Navy pillar while members of the Batavia VFW fired off a 21-gun salute.

The names of the five North Aurora men who died while serving posted at the memorial are Warrant Officer Bernard Richard Blassage, a World War II Marine; 2nd Lt. Francis E. Rippinger, a World War II Army soldier; Staff Sgt. Leonard J. Wennmaker, a World War II Army soldier; Pfc. Paul Theodore Allen, a Korean War Army soldier; and Capt. Timothy Ryan, an Operation Iraqi Freedom Marine.