At 100-years-old longtime Park Ridge resident Marie Sartor Pawelek lives by herself in a condominium, practices playing the piano, writes and speaks Italian to relatives in Italy, and has her own Facebook account. Also, according to her only child Michael, she still has her great sense of humor.

A veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, Marie will serve as grand marshal of the Monday, May 27 Park Ridge Memorial Day Parade in Park Ridge, IL. The parade’s sponsors are local veterans’ organizations including American Legion Post 247 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3579.