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Suburban residents among 200 veterans state will honor as part of bicentennial

Posted October 25, 2018 1:00 am

Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Bicentennial organizers and the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs have named 200 military veterans to honor during the state's 200th birthday.

Stuart Layne, executive director of the Bicentennial Commission, said the "Bicentennial HONOR 200" recognition "is one of the most important commemorations" of the yearlong celebration. He said that "these 200 Illinois veterans truly make us 'Illinois Proud.'"

Honorees from the suburbs include:

• Robert M. Adams, Winfield.

• Jose Alferez, Naperville.

• Ronald Archibald, Aurora.

• Robert A. Arciola, Bartlett.

• William R. Biersdorf, Arlington Heights.

• Terrence J. Benshoff, Glen Ellyn.

• John Henry "Dutch" DeGroot, Mount Prospect.

• Patrick John Dunham, Lindenhurst.

• Craig A. Essick, Elgin.

• Phillip Ferrer, Elk Grove Village.

• Steven Fixler, Wheaton.

• Thomas Green Gilder Jr., Lake Barrington.

• David Harris, Arlington Heights.

• James Harvey, Elgin.

• Robert M. Healy, Schaumburg.

• Paul Joseph Hettich, Antioch.

• Raymond P. Jakubiak, Naperville.

• Tommy "Tom" Lee Jones, Pingree Grove.

• Michael Edward Lake, Des Plaines.

• Alberto Lopez, Elgin.

• Allen Lynch, Gurnee.

• Lisa Ann Mattingly, Winfield.

• Joseph P. McKeown, Elgin.

• Virginia A. Narsete, Lisle.

• William J. Nissen, Lake Bluff.

• Timothy George O'Neil, Roselle.

• Greg Padovani, Arlington Heights.

• Ralph Pechanio, Elmhurst.

• Leo Walter Penkala, Wheaton.

• Robert W. Reichert, Woodridge.

• Ned B. Ricks, Gurnee.

• John Schwan, South Barrington.

• John Williams Scifers, Hainesville.

• Delbert Leon Seaton, Streamwood.

• John Walter Shaw, Naperville.

• Ronald Singer, Geneva.

• Craig Warner, Vernon Hills.

• William Wolff, Bloomingdale.

All the recipients have been invited to attend the state's official birthday celebration Dec. 3 at the United Center in Chicago.

The honorees come from more than 50 counties across Illinois. Nominees are residents of Illinois honorably discharged from the military. They were evaluated based on their achievements and their contributions to their communities.

Sponsors of the program are Boeing, Walgreens, Peoples Gas and ComEd.

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