Remembering Illinois Heroes in Yorkville

A new tribute will open its doors to the public on May 18th in Yorkville’s Kendall County Office Building. The exhibit, called the Illinois Fallen Wall, showcases photographs of every soldier from the state who lost their lives in combat since September 11th. The display will stay on the first‑floor community room from 8 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. each day. The wall was created by the Chris Patterson Memorial Foundation, whose namesake, 20‑year‑old Chris Patterson of North Aurora, served as a combat engineer in the Indiana National Guard. He and three teammates died during route‑clearing work in Afghanistan in January 2012. His death sparked the foundation’s mission to honor all fallen Illinois service members. Bob and Mary Patterson, who lost their son in 2012, joined forces with local veterans groups to bring the memorial to Yorkville. They hope that seeing faces instead of just names will help visitors connect with the sacrifices made. Bob told a crowd in Oswego that the wall can “reach one person to honor and remember somebody who gave their all. ”The project builds on earlier efforts in the region. In 2017 and 2021, Oswego hosted traveling memorial walls for Vietnam and Middle East conflicts. The village’s Veterans Honors group, made up of local fire officials, the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club, an American Legion post and a Marine detachment, organized those events. Denise Williams, mother of Army Private First Class Andrew Meari who died in Afghanistan in 2010, also spoke at the opening. She urged visitors to learn about each soldier’s hometown, school and hobbies. By sharing these details, she believes people can remember that each name on the wall has a story tied to Illinois. The exhibit is open during regular business hours, giving anyone in the community an opportunity to pay tribute. Those who walk through can pause, look up each soldier’s background and share the story with friends or family. In doing so, they help keep the memory of these brave men and women alive.