McLean County Times

State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) is happy to see all her hard work finally end in Route 113 from Carbon Hill Road to Virginia Street in Coal City being renamed Dennis M. Neary Memorial Highway.

“Thank you Mr. President,” Rezin said in a House floor speech posted to YouTube in the wake of the change becoming official. “I’m proud to get it called. It took me five years.”

A graduate of Morris High School who also attended Joliet College, Neary served as chief of police in Coal City for more than three decades. Over that time, he also made time to serve with the Coal City Volunteer Fire Department for 35 years and as an ENT for six years, leading to him earning the Coal City Community Service Award in 2002.

Neary passed away in October 2016, leaving behind his wife of 43 years, Cathy, two sons and three grandchildren.

As for Rezin, the veteran lawmaker also recently spoke at the 2021 Illinois Police Officers Memorial ceremony where she encouraged residents to do all they can to support local law enforcement.

“It’s incredibly humbling to see the ceremony that’s honoring the men and women who have given their lives in the line of duty,” she told the Illinois Valley Times. “Oftentimes, we get caught up in the legislative process and the political infighting that many people see on TV, and you know, it takes a ceremony such as we just witnessed to bring everyone together and realize that we’re all in it together and we need to support the people who protect us, the men and women of the police force that are out there putting their lives on the line each and every day for our safety.”