State Senator Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) has announced the passage of Senate Joint Resolution 53, honoring the life and sacrifice of U.S. Army Sergeant Kenneth Levi Ridgley of Olney.
The resolution designates U.S. Highway 50 from the intersection of U.S. Highway 50 and Illinois Route 130 in Olney to 10 miles west of Olney as the “Sgt. Levi Ridgley Memorial Highway.”
Plummer says Sgt. Ridgley gave his life serving our country, and this designation ensures his courage and sacrifice will always be remembered. He adds it is an honor to help recognize a hometown hero whose dedication to our nation reflected the very best of Illinois.
A native of Olney, Sgt. Ridgley had long aspired to serve in the military. He was remembered not only for his service, but also for his deep ties to family and community. He left behind his wife, Charity, and was in the process of adopting her 3-year-old son, Dillon.
Before enlisting in the U.S. Army, Sgt. Ridgley served six years in the Illinois National Guard, which helped support his education at Southern Illinois University. While at SIU, he was a member of the rodeo team. He later left college to become a blacksmith and went on to work in Colorado as a wrangler and horseshoer.
Sgt. Ridgley later enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Stryker Brigade Combat Team, at Fort Lewis, Washington.
On March 30, 2005, Sgt. Ridgley was killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom when gunfire erupted at a checkpoint as U.S. soldiers prepared to inspect a vehicle.
