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'Portrait of a Soldier' memorial a hit with area families

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 11:09 PM CDT

MARION - Five Southern Illinois families who've lost sons in combat since Sept. 11, 2001, were featured guests of Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center, as he unveiled the Portrait of a Soldier memorial exhibit, which has been viewed by thousands of Illinoisans in more than 40 cities statewide.

The exhibit is a series of hand-drawn portraits of more than 180 Illinois men and women soldiers who have died in service. It will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday; from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

"It's the duty of all of us to remember those men and women who fought on the front lines for their country and paid the ultimate sacrifice," Quinn said. "We owe those soldiers an eternal debt of gratitude. They are the heroes of our society."

Randy Romines of Simpson said he was impressed with the artwork performed by Cameron Schilling of Mattoon.

"I think it's fantastic that somebody wanted to do this to honor the soldiers," Romines said. "It means a lot to the families to know that their sons are not forgotten."

Romines said the portrait of his son, Sgt. Brian Romines, was so good that it even detailed his lazy eye. The soldier died June 6, 2005, near Baghdad as the result of a roadside bomb blast.

His mother, Melinda Astin, said the portrait and exhibit was an "excellent way" to honor him and that she and the rest of the family "couldn't be any more proud" of their son and his service to country.

Marla Uhles of Du Quoin was on hand to honor her son, Marine L. Cpl. Drew Uhles, who died from injuries suffered at Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on Sept. 15, 2004.

"These portraits are so lifelike," she said. "I hope people will come out to the exhibit. If they do, they will see what we lost. Now there is a portrait to go with the name of each soldier killed in Illinois."

Jim Smith of Carterville said the portrait of his son, Sgt. Benjamin K. Smith, was "incredible" and he was surprised to see his son actually smiling for the camera in the still photograph, which the artist used as a model.

"You know a lot of people look up to sports stars as heroes, but these soldiers are the real American heroes," Smith said.

Smith was a Marine who died Sept. 22, 2004, from enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq.

Cheryl Price of Woodlawn held up a portrait of her son, Kyle, also a Marine, who died in Iraq in 2006.

"It's a really nice portrait. It's like he's looking right at you," she said. "It's amazing how much he (Schilling) captured the look in Kyle's eyes."

Grandmother Betty Price agreed.

"You just don't realize how many of these soldiers in Illinois died until you see this exhibit," she said.

Gaye Eisenhauer of Pinckneyville said the exhibit was "very humbling" and that it was a nice tribute to the fallen, including her son, Army Private Wyatt Eisenhauer, who was killed in action May 19, 2005.

"The artist has talent. I hope people will come out and see the exhibit. There is a story behind each one of these portraits. They all had a life," she said. "As parents, we choose not to remember how they died but rather how they lived."

john.homan@thesouthern.com

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