ISP Trooper Gerald Ellis funeral: Public encouraged to line procession route

GRAYSLAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- The funeral has been set for an Illinois State Police trooper who was killed when a wrong-way driver struck his squad car.

The funeral for 36-year-old trooper Gerald Ellis will take place Friday at 10 a.m. at the College of Lake County's James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake. Ellis will have a private burial. The public is encouraged to line the funeral procession route starting at noon on Friday, from the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts to the burial site. The route is outlined below.

The visitation was held Thursday afternoon

Ellis died early Saturday in the accident along Interstate 94 in northern Illinois. He is the third state trooper to die in a traffic crash so far this year.

State police say Ellis grew up in Macomb and graduated from Western Illinois University. He served with the U.S. Army Reserves and joined the state police in 2008. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters.

PROCESSION ROUTE

Procession will leave College of Lake County James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts (19351 W. Washington Street, Grayslake, Illinois 60010)
Exit college and make a right on Lancer Road
Make a left (east) on Brae Loch Road
Right (south) on U.S. 45
Left (east) on SR-120 (Belvidere Road)
Exit Right on State Route 21 (Milwaukee Avenue)
Left on State Route 21
Left onto I-94 West

Exit I-94 on Russell Road
Left on Old Skokie Road
Stay Left (south) onto US 41
Right (west) on IL Route 173
Left (south) on Deep Lake Road
Right (west) on U.S. Route 132
PROCESSION ENDS AT U.S. Route 132 and SR 83

Meanwhile, the Lake County Farm Bureau is inviting the public and media to their grounds any time after 10:30am to watch the funeral procession on Friday. The Lake County Farm Bureau Office is located at 70 US Hwy 45 in Grayslake, approximately 1 mile south of the College of Lake County. The Farm Bureau parking lot is expected to reach capacity so cars can park across the street in the Wildwood neighborhood.

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The Associated Press contributed to this story.