Dzemal Mulasmajic

Dzemal Mulasmajic, 75, died of ALS on Jan. 7, 2015. He was born on Sept. 1, 1939 in Novi Seher, Bosnia (then Yugoslavia) to Ibrahim and Rukija (Kurajlic) Mulasmajic. Life was very difficult for the family during WWII and for years after, so he immigrated to the US in 1962. He met and married Doris Cripe in 1964. They lived in Chicago for two years and then moved to Palatine for eight years. For these years he was a mechanical engineer with Sargent & Lundy Engineering and was active in the Lions Club and the Republican Party. He became interested in real estate, got his license, and really enjoyed working with people. They had two daughters by this time, Lura Mina and Sara Rukija. In 1973 they moved to Marengo, where Doris had grown up, and started their own Homeland Real Estate Corp. and they continued in real estate and development for the next 36 years. In Marengo, Dzemal was very active in the Masonic Lodge and the United Methodist Church. The family was joined by a 3rd teenage daughter, Tanja, in 1990.

Dzemal loved his family, his pets, animals in general and helping people. They brought many families to this country during and after the 1992 war in Bosnia and helped them get started in order to have a better life for themselves and their children.

He is survived by his wife, Doris; his daughters, Lura (Joseph) Asby, Sara Mulasmajic, and Tanja Jovancevic, as well as 2 grandchildren, Rebecca and Joshua Asby; and his brother, Kerim Mulasmajic; three sisters-in-law; and nine nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, a niece and a nephew, a sister-in-law, and a brother-in-law.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7pm on Friday, January 9 at Marengo-Union Funeral Home, 505 E. Grant Hwy., Marengo. The funeral service will be at 11am on Saturday, January 10 at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to JourneyCare Hospice, Marengo Rescue Squad for the Lift Assist Program, or the Marengo United Methodist Church.

For information call the funeral home at 815-568-8131. Online condolences may be made at www.marengo-unionfuneralhome.com.