May 18, 2025
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DeKalb keynote speaker named for Memorial Day address

Veteran, retired DeKalb police officer Col. Jose Jaques to speak at annual program

By Kelsey Rettke
District 428 School Board candidate Jose Jaques speaks as other candidates listen in Thursday, March 20, 2025, during the DeKalb Area Rental Association and DeKalb Area Builders Association School Board Candidates Forum at Faranda's Banquets in DeKalb.

Jose Jaques, a retired DeKalb police officer and Army National Guard colonel who also serves on the DeKalb school board will give this year’s Memorial Day keynote address. Memorial Day is May 26, 2025. (Shown in this March 21, 2025, Shaw Local file photo) (Mark Busch)

DeKALB – A retired DeKalb police officer and Army National Guard colonel who also serves on the DeKalb school board will give this year’s Memorial Day keynote address.

The annual program is one of three planned in DeKalb for Memorial Day, May 26, meant to honor fallen military personnel who died in the line of duty.

The day’s proceedings will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a commemoration at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Clock in Memorial Park downtown, First Street and Lincoln Highway.

Jose Jaques, a retired DeKalb police officer and Army National Guard colonel who also serves on the DeKalb school board will give this year’s Memorial Day keynote address. Memorial Day is May 26, 2025.

Jose Jaques, a retired DeKalb police officer and Army National Guard colonel who also serves on the DeKalb school board will give this year’s Memorial Day keynote address. Memorial Day is May 26, 2025. (Photo provided by City of DeKalb)

A parade will follow, featuring local military groups, first responders, marching bands from DeKalb High School and the middle schools and community groups. The parade starts at 9 a.m. at North Third and Locust streets and will travel west on Locust, also named Veteran’s Way, and proceed north on Linden Place to the Ellwood House Museum, 420 Linden Place.

The Ellwood House ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. on the lawn, and including remarks from city officials, local veterans and a keynote by Jaques.

Jaques enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 1987 as a utility helicopter mechanic. In December 1991, he was commissioned through Northern Illinois University ROTC into the Army Reserves, and joined the Illinois National Guard in 2009. As part of his service, Jaques was mobilized to support Operation Enduring Freedom from January 2003 to July 2004. He was deployed to Afghanistan from November 2014 to June 2015.

For his service, he’s earned multiple awards and badges including the Global War on Terrorism Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal, according to the city.

Jaques joined the DeKalb Police Department in 1996. As part of his 22-year career in law enforcement, he worked as a School Resource Officer for more than 12 years. He as elected to serve on the DeKalb School District 428 board in April.

Free first-floor tours of the museum will be offered after the program, according to a city of DeKalb news release. The day’s events were organized by the city, DeKalb Park District and Ellwood House Museum.

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