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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois
3 learned with regret of the death of Raymond J. Petka of Wheaton
4 on Friday, March 24, 2006; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Rajmund J. Petka was born on June 22, 1924, to Leo
6 Jerome Petka and Marianna Drzewiecki; his mother preceded him
7 in death in 1927; his father was remarried to Mary Jankowski,
8 and she raised Ray and his siblings; and
 
9     WHEREAS, He attended Kelly High School, where he was a
10 pitcher on the team that finished second in the State; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Mr. Petka enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 17
12 in 1941; he forged his father's signature to allow his
13 enlistment prior to reaching the age of 18; he served in the
14 armored cavalry in the 1st Army Division under General Hodges;
15 he trained in Wyoming, South Carolina, and Camp McCoy in
16 Wisconsin; he went to New York to be deployed for the war,
17 first arriving in Glasgow, Scotland; he trained further in
18 Glochester, England; and
 
19     WHEREAS, On June 6, 1944, his division was part of the
20 invasion at Omaha Beach at Normandy; he was later honored by
21 the nation of France for being a part of the invasion to
22 liberate Normandy; he also participated in the Battle of the
23 Bulge in Belgium under General Patton; and
 
24     WHEREAS, When he arrived home from the war, he worked at
25 Western Electric; he married Theresa Mary Zychlewicz on June 6,
26 1948; they were married for 57 years; and
 
27     WHEREAS, The passing of Raymond J. Petka has been deeply
28 felt by many; he was the loving father of Christine (Angelo)
29 Corpora, Maryann (Ron) Sutter, Paul (Stephanie), and Louise

 

 

SR0697 - 2 - LRB094 20119 HSS 57824 r

1 (Russ) Mellecker; the cherished grandfather of Christopher,
2 Stephanie, Michael, Jennifer, Hayden, Jordyn, Reagan, and
3 Zachary; the dear brother of Verna (Bill) Skas, Gertrude
4 Kriculi, Leo Petka, Edward (Phyllis) Petka, Jeanette Haluska,
5 Lorraine Allerhand, and the late Daniel and Theresa Petka; and
6 the uncle of many; therefore, be it
 
7     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
8 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
9 Raymond J. Petka, and we extend our sincere condolences to his
10 family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
11 further
 
12     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
13 presented to his family as an expression of our deepest
14 sympathy.