Last evening’s escort went flawlessly.  Everything planned and executed accordingly.  We did Chris Donaldson’s return home very proudly.  Thanks to Dan and Sean for the early dry run of the route.  I was impressed with the flags all along the route.  The yellow and black ribbons were found along the route.  I consider the people of Effingham PGR supporters by the way they lined the escort route with flags and candles.  Arrived at the funeral home where the Fire Dept had their giant flag on the ladders.  I thanked all in the parking lot, small brief about Friday’s funeral and then this portion of the mission was dismissed. 

Although the escort was flawless, the “risk factors” increase for the funeral on Friday. 

1) You will encounter “orange barrels” by the construction along Route 33

2) There are spots along the way without a shoulder

3) Gravel!

4) No police escort between the BP station and the parking at the Catholic Church (which is about a mile).  There will be LE in Shumway directing traffic however.

5) We will have to walk a little from the Catholic Church to where we will line the route to the Lutheran Church with our flags.  (about ¼ mile and not along the highway which is the shortest walk unfortunately)

For that reason, state police want us to stage on the Shumway side of the construction.  Please ride safely.  See map on/or about page 5 of this discussion.

I scouted out Shumway since my drive from Springfield took me down Route 32 and secured the permission of the manager of the BP plaza on Route 33 on Lake Sarah Road (AKA Louie’s Landing).  

There is are 2 entrances to the plaza, one on route 33 and one on Lake Sarah Rd.  The entrance on Sarah Rd is the best because no gravel.  We will congregate near the car wash area of the plaza at 9:00 AM and briefing at 9:30 then kickstands up.

Last evening, while waiting for the hearse to arrive, state police relayed great news that the Rest In Peace Act will be signed Friday morning prior to this funeral.  I was jumpin!

Rose

Ride Captain

Body of fallen soldier to arrive today

Bill Grimes
Effingham Daily News

The Effingham High School graduate killed in an Army helicopter crash earlier this month is coming home.

The body of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher B. Donaldson will arrive at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport at 5:15 p.m. After a brief private ceremony at the airport, the body will be transported to M.A. Neal Funeral Home in Effingham with an expected arrival in mid-evening.

Visitation is set from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, with the funeral set for 10:30 a.m. Friday morning at Faith Lutheran Church in Shumway.

Donaldson was killed May 5 when the helicopter he was riding in during mountaintop combat maneuvers crashed into a ravine in eastern Afghanistan. Military officials have said the crash did not result from hostile fire.

Funeral Director Mark Neal said Donaldson’s body could arrive in Effingham as early as 7:15 this evening. But Neal added he could not pinpoint the exact time, noting the body’s arrival in Effingham would depend on the length of time on the ground in St. Louis.

“I can’t give an exact time,” Neal said. “We may be at the airport for 30 minutes, or we could be there two hours.”

Neal said his best guess was that the body would arrive at the funeral home sometime between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. He added no ceremony was planned at the funeral home once the body arrived.

“Once we get there, it will just be family for awhile,” he said.

The body will be transported on Interstate 70 from St. Louis to Altamont, where the procession will exit the Interstate on Illinois 128, where members of the Patriot Guard motorcycle unit will join the convoy. Minutes later, the body will be on U.S. 40 for the final 11 miles to Effingham.

Altamont city officials are encouraging citizens to line the route with flags and candles in hand during the procession. Officials added the Altamont VFW will be making flags available to anyone wishing to line the route.

Those wishing to reserve a flag may call the post at 618-483-6344.

Effingham Police Chief Mike Schutzbach said he would station squad cars and fire trucks at intersections along the Effingham portion of the route to provide unimpeded movement of the procession.

“We will be doing as much as we can do to keep them uninterrupted through town,” Schutzbach said.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 132 or bgrimes@effinghamdailynews.com

Published: May 16, 2006 12:50 pm            

Preparations

Bill Grimes
Effingham Daily News

About 20 people braved chilly, rainy weather Monday to honor fallen soldier Chris Donaldson.

Taunya Ohnesorge of Shumway, who described herself as the best friend of Donaldson’s mother Lynne, organized an effort to tie black ribbons inside yellow ribbons that had been placed along the parade route in Effingham for Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry of the Illinois Army National Guard earlier this month.

“It’s the least we can do,” Ohnesorge said, adding the fallen soldier’s family has told her the recent outpouring of community support has been vital since his death on May 5 in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

“The family has told me that if not for the prayers from the community, they would not have been able to get through this time,” she said.

After meeting at the front door to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Effingham, volunteers tied the black ribbons with the yellow ribbons beginning on Fayette, turning north on Third and continuing to Evergreen.

Donaldson’s body is expected to travel in a procession from St. Louis to Effingham today.

Ohnesorge’s sister, Tracey Greuel of Effingham, said the black ribbons are a way for the community to remember Donaldson’s sacrifice.

“This is a kid who devoted his life to the military,” Greuel said. “As my duty here, I feel it’s important to support him and his family.”

A third sister, Donez McNeely of Effingham, said she was motivated by her lifelong friendship with Donaldson’s parents Bill and Lynne.

“I’ve known Bill and Lynne my entire life,” McNeely said. “I just want to show support for their son and what he’s done for us. It’s just a little thing I can do.”

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 132 or bgrimes@effinghamdailynews.com

http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/features/local_story_136125007.html?keyword=topstory

        

Honor & Respect

More than 200 people gathered outside M.A. Neal Funeral Home Tuesday as the body of fallen soldier Chris Donaldson was brought to the home amid no shortage of military precision and emotion.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Donaldson, a 1995 Effingham High School graduate, was killed May 5 in a helicopter crash in eastern Afghanistan. He had been serving with the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army.

His body was flown into Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Tuesday afternoon. After a brief ceremony, the body was placed into a hearse for the ride home.

Led by an Illinois State Police trooper and trailed by nearly 60 members of the Patriot Guard Riders motorcycle group, the procession exited Interstate 70 onto Illinois 128 at Altamont. Moving north on Illinois 128, the procession — which also included family members and Effingham County’s sheriff’s deputies — turned right (east) on U.S. 40 past crowds of respectful onlookers.

Onlookers were parked alongside at various points along U.S. 40 for up to an hour before the procession reached Altamont.

“I was amazed at all the people all the way from Altamont to Effingham,” said Larry Gehle of Effingham, who rode his motorcycle in the procession from Altamont to the funeral home. “It just shows what a great place Effingham County is.”

The procession continued along Henrietta Street past Effingham High School and Effingham Junior High, both of which Donaldson attended, before turning right (east) on Fayette Avenue. By now, the procession was traveling — albeit in reverse — the route traveled during a much happier time less than two weeks ago by the returning soldiers of Bravo Company. That fact was not lost on at least one of the people waiting for the procession at the funeral home.

“It was important for us to show up for Bravo Company and it is also important for us to show up for this person who didn’t make it home,” said Kim Rhodes of the Lake Sara area in rural Effingham, who brought her 5-month-old niece, Lauren Heuerman, to the funeral home grounds.

“She won’t remember this, but we’ll have plenty of pictures to show her when she gets older,” Rhodes said.

Hundreds of people lined both Henrietta and Fayette to pay their respects to the fallen soldier. The procession eventually turned north on Third Street and west on Evergreen before making the final right turn on Fourth Street, less than a quarter-mile from the funeral home.

The procession was saluted by a group of 14 soldiers in desert fatigues, all standing at attention as the procession slowly passed by. After the hearse carrying Donaldson’s body stopped at the front door of the funeral home, six soldiers in full dress uniform tenderly lifted the flag-draped casket from the back of the hearse and slowly carried it into the funeral home.

Members of Donaldson’s family then filed in slowly thereafter.

Several community members outside the funeral home said they meant for their presence to be a sign of respect for the fallen soldier.

“It’s just to show respect for a young man who died saving people in Afghanistan so they could have a democracy,” said Carolyn Flach, who lives in the subdivision just a few hundred yards north of the funeral home.

Flach’s neighbor Nancy Kessler said she thought it was important for the community to show support.

“I didn’t know him at all, but if it had been my son, I would want the same respect,” Kessler said.

Some of those outside the funeral home did know young Donaldson.

“My children grew up with Chris,” said Margie Sams of Effingham. “He was a beautiful child and a very nice young man. Chris didn’t say a lot, but when he did, people listened.”

Sister-in-law Leslie Sams, whose daughter also attended school with Donaldson, said it was “important to show the family that we care.”

Classmate Cheri West said Donaldson was known both for his football ability and his sense of humor.

“He always made the class laugh with some of the things he said,” West said.

The procession brought back memories to some of other fallen soldiers from many years ago.

“I’d take my yearbook from high school and cry for all the boys who didn’t come home,” said Toots Beachler of Effingham, a 1941 graduate of East St. Louis High School. “I went to the deal with the other soldiers (Bravo Company’s return) and I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 132 orbgrimes@effinghamdailynews.com

http://www.effinghamdailynews.com/homepage/local_story_137133747.html