Oswego renames intersection in honor of late veteran, long-time community leader

Plainfield, Woolley Road receives honorary designation as ‘Herschel Luckinbill Road’

The intersection of Plainfield Road and Woolley Road in Oswego has been renamed in honor of an area Vietnam veteran and community leader following his death.

Oswego Village President Troy Parlier announced during an Oct. 5 village board meeting that the intersection of Plainfield and Woolley Roads has been given the honorary designation as “Herschel Luckinbill Road.”

Parlier explained that the intersection was chosen because Luckinbill had brought the Vietnam Moving Wall to Oswego’s Prairie Point Park, located at the intersection.

“I thought it was fitting to place an honorary road for Herschel there as he’s been such a great citizen for Oswego,” Parlier said. “A champion to veterans like no other, he’s been involved in so many things that just go beyond veterans events, but certainly he’s second to none as far as organizing and recognizing our veterans.”

A long-time resident of Montgomery, Luckinbill died at the age of 75 at his Charlotte, TN home July 28. A U.S. Navy veteran, Luckinbill embraced the work of the VFW and served as a guardian for World War II veterans on 25 Honor Flights from Chicago. Luckinbill also raised more than $100,000 in donations for the Honor Flight program.

Luckinbill served as the leader of the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club, nurturing and motivating more than 65 area veterans to meet every other week for breakfast and to stay active and engaged in the community.

In 2013 Luckinbill brought the Vietnam Moving Wall to Aurora where more than 200,000 visited the site. He was honored for his work at that time by State Rep. Kay Hatcher, R-Yorkville, and selected by the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs to serve as “Veteran of the Month” for the state.

Luckinbill brought the Vietnam Moving Wall to Oswego in 2017 where with the support of more than 700 volunteers. An estimated 175,000 visitors learned about the Vietnam Wall and observed the names of those who died when the wall on display in Prairie Point Community Park.

Luckinbill served on the committee for the creation of the Veterans Serenity Park near downtown Oswego and was instrumental in bringing the Mid-East Conflict Wall to the village earlier this year, but was unable to travel to see the wall in person due to his health.

One honorary street sign will be placed at the intersection of Plainfield and Woolley Roads, while a second sign will be given to Luckinbill’s family, according to Parlier.