PASKVALICH, EMIL H.

It is with great sadness that we inform the La Quinta community of Emil Harley’s death on Saturday, March 14th [2015]. He died as he lived; with quiet dignity, thoughts for others and surrounded by his family. He was a Member of the 1st Raider Battalion in the Marine Corps, a Veteran of World War II and Korean War and a truly shining example of the “Greatest Generation.” In his later years, while attending a Raider Battalion reunion of remaining veterans, the words “When we were young, we saved the world” was the epitome of a lifetime of hard work and perseverance and showed his daughters what and who those young men truly were. He believed strongly in the values of the Corps and strove to live his life accordingly. He worked hard with the Marine Corps Scholarship Golf Tournament and looked forward to taking part every year with his other Marine buddies from La Quinta, CA. He was the founder of Bannerville USA in 1975, a Chicago company that created and installed banners on street poles throughout the city. He was responsible for all of the banners that were hung during the Chicago Bulls winning streak, the King Tut Exhibit at the Natural History Museum, and other worthy non-profit events. The company continues on, run by his daughter, Pat Sitkowski and husband, Ken, and family. He was born August 23rd, 1923 in the Chicago suburb of Hodgkins, Illinois. He loved Chicago, his family and was a diehard Chicago Cubs fan for 83 years. He has left behind a legacy of family and friends; Wilma Harley, his wife of sixty-four years, three daughters; Pat Sitkowski (Ken), Joni Wilson (David), Jean Stocks (Rick), eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He will be sorely missed by all who truly knew him. A celebration of his life will take place at La Quinta Country Club on April 19th, 2015 from 3:00- 5:00PM.