Sen. Sue Rezin (center) attend the highway naming ceremony for for the late Dennis M. Neary at Campbell Park in Coal City. | Facebook
Sen. Sue Rezin (center) attend the highway naming ceremony for for the late Dennis M. Neary at Campbell Park in Coal City. | Facebook
Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) recently took to social media to share her experience attending the highway naming ceremony for former Coal City Police Chief Dennis M. Neary, who passed away in 2016 after a law enforcement career spanning more than three decades.
Rezin was a primary sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 6 which designates Route 113 from Carbon Hill Road to Virginia Street in Coal City as the “Dennis M. Neary Memorial Highway.”
“It was an honor and a privilege to host the highway naming ceremony for the late Dennis M. Neary yesterday at Campbell Park in Coal City,” Rezin wrote in a Sept. 15 Facebook post. “Thank you to everyone who shared efforts to make this event such a wonderful tribute. Gold Bless you, Dennis Neary and the Neary Family! #38thSenateDistrict #CoalCity #RoadNaming #IllinoisRoute113 #CoalCityPolice #CoalCityFire #CoalCityEMS #GrundyCounty #75thRepresentativeDistrict”
According to information shared by Rezin from the Senate floor in a June 12, 2021 Facebook video, Neary was born in 1950 and started his law enforcement career with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department in 1972. He served as a police officer in Coal City before holding the title of Chief of Police for 30 years. He also served with the Coal City Volunteer Fire Department for 35 years, holding the position of captain for much of that time. He was given the Coal City Community Service Award in 2002.
When Neary died on Oct. 2, 2016, he left behind his wife of 43 years Kathy, two sons and three grandchildren.
Senate Joint Resolution 6 was passed on April 4, unanimously.
In the House, the primary sponsor of the bill was Rep. David Welter (R-Morris).
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