Paul Pryor

PALM DESERT, Calif. â€" Paul Pryor, 85, Palm Desert, died Friday, May 15, 2009, from complications following a stroke. Paul was born March 20, 1924 in Sioux Falls, SD, and earned his Bachelor and Masters Degrees in English from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. Paul served as a tank driver in France and Germany for three years during World War II, and was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery. For many years Paul was a dedicated educator and writer. Paul, Ilona and their children traveled extensively in the United States and Europe. As a passionate golfer, he played golf all over the world, and one of Paul’s proudest moments was when he was invited to join St. Andrew’s Golf Club in Scotland. He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife, Ilona Marija (nee Ozols); his son, Lt. Colonel Paul R. Pryor, and his daughter-in-law, Karen, of Langley Air Force Base; and his daughter, Maria Gunther, and his son-in-law, Kurt, of Riverside, CA. As a proud grandfather to Alexander Pryor and Paul N. Pryor, it gave Paul immeasurable happiness to spend time with his grandsons. Paul is also survived by his brother, Nick Antinori of Chicago; and Anita Alcaraz, sister to Paul’s wife Ilona, and wife of George Alcaraz, and by their sons, George A. Alcaraz, and Gary Alcaraz. Paul had a great respect for his resourceful sister-in-law, Anita, and was in awe of the dangerous and courageous escape from Latvia that his wife, Ilona, and her sister, Anita, and their parents had to endure before immigrating to America. There will be a private service, with full military honors, Tuesday, June 2, at the National Cemetery in Riverside. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a favorite charity for animal causes.