Former Governor Mike Stepovich was the last Territorial Governor and the last surviving Territorial Governor of Alaska when he died in San Diego on Friday the 14th of February 2014. Mike Stepovich is survived by six daughters Antonia Gore, Nada Stockton, Maria Greulich, Laura Tramonte, Andrea McGill and Melissa Cook; seven sons Michael, Peter, Christopher, Dominic, Theodore, Nicholas and James; thirty-seven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren; two half sisters, Nada Houston and Ellen Burdette; and two half-brothers, Michael and Alexander Stepovich.
Category: In Memoriam
Karlo J. Mirth 1917-2013 distinguished Croatian writer and lifetime president of Croatian Academy of America
Karlo Mirth was born in Otoeac in Croatian region of Lika, where also Nikola Tesla was born. He studied Forestry and Civil Engineering at the University of Zagreb. Forced to leave Croatia after 1945, he studied Journalism at the University of Rome. He later studied at the Universities of Barcelona and Madrid, and the Library Sciences at Columbia University. Karlo Mirth was a prolific writer of many articles related to Croatian culture and history. He was very active in Croatian Academy of America, and in 2013 published his autobiographical book (R)ivot u emigraciji (Life as an Emigree).
Milan Horvat 1919-2014 distinguished Croatian conductor collaborated with world's most famous orchestras
For five years, from 1951 to 1956, maestro Milan Horvat was chief conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin. Than in 1969 up to 1975 he led the newly formed Symphony Orchestra ORF in Vienna. He was an honorary conductor of the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra. He collaborated with the greatest soloists of the world such as Mstislav Rostropovich, David Oistrakh, Yehudi Menuhin, Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, etc. He taught at the University of Graz in Austria, where his star pupil was Fabio Luisi, now music director of the Zurich Opera. The key to his vitality was, as he put it, his “hunger for music”.
Bijeli Put – White Path 10-26 December 1993 the greatest humanitarian action in European History
Dr. Slobodan Lang is one of initators of White Path / Bijeli Put humanitarian project. Bijeli Put 1993 is the greatest humanitarian project in European History. It is the first and only successful joint humanitarian project of Catholic Christians and Muslims. In December 2013 the 20 years since the White Path has been solmenly marked in the building of the Council of the City of Zagreb.
Ivana Kunc's new sophisticated CD entitled KUNC PLAYS KUNC dedicated to her father Bozidar
We are very pleased to announce Ivana Kunc’s new and very sophisticated musical project on CD entitled KUNC PLAYS KUNC, dedicated to her father Božidar Kunc, distinguished Croatian pianist and composer, who spent the last fourteen years of his life in the United States. His beloved and noble wife DeElda Kunc b. Fiebelkorn, a gifted poetess, passed away in 2013.
Vukovar is an indelible part of European and World History
In this article we have collected some of the songs and verses dedicated to the tragic destiny of the city of Vukovar and its citizens. The destiny of numerous victims is still not known. This Baroque city on the Danube river was savagely destroyed in 1991.
Carmen Verlichak Croatian-Argentinean writer published a monograph El Cardenal Stepinac in Buenos Aires 2013
In 2013 Carmen Verlichak, Croatian-Argentiean writer living in Buenos Aires, wrote a monograph about Blessed Cardinal dr. Alojzije Stepinac 1898-1960, entitled El Cardenal Stepinac. It has been published by the Krivodol Press in Argentinean’s capital. This is the first monograph in Castellano about this important historical and religious figure published in South America. In 1998 Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Marija Bistrica, during his second Apostolic visit to Croatia.
Fr. Ante Gabric, S.J. – An Apostle of the Sundarbans, Croatian missionary in Bengal, India
Many among those who worked and lived with Fr. Ante continue to give witness to the holiness of this great missionary they knew, and some are convinced that ‘God visited us in the form of Fr. Ante Gabric’. The work started by Fr. Ante and other missionaries is being continued today among the Santals, who are much more deserving and are still in the periphery, but witnessing to the faith by their lives. The Calcutta Jesuit province while thanking the Lord for giving a worthy and zealous missionary to Bengal thank also the Croatian Province and the people Croatia for their continued prayerful support for the ever growing mission today. The article was written by Fr. Irudaya Jothi SJ of the Calcutta Jesuit Province.
Drazen Petrovic 1964-1993 distinguished Croatian basketball player and the greatest European player of all times
Dražen Petrović initially achieved success playing professional basketball for Croatian clubs Šibenka and Cibona, and in Europe (Real Madrid in Spain) in the 1980s before joining the American NBA in 1989. In 1993 Dražen died in a car accident at the age of 28. Petrović earned two silver medals and one bronze in Olympic basketball, a gold and a bronze in the FIBA World Championship, and a gold and a bronze in the FIBA European Championship. He earned four Euroscar Awards, and was named Mr. Europa in basketball twice. At the Olympic Games in 1992, he was the leader of the Croatian basketball team, which won all games except the final against the USA.
A famous Croatian Professor Balthazar shown by Google on its front page on June 21st 2013
Professor Balthazar is probably the most famous Croatian professor in the world, a popular figure of cartoon movies, familiar to millions of children throughout the world. It has been created in 1967, that is, 46 years ago, by Zlatko Grgić, a member of the lagendary Zagreb School of Animated Film. On June 21st 2013 Google placed the professor on its front page. Professor Balthazar was equally popular among children fourty years ago, as is today.
Joseph Thomas Rukavina 1922-2013 Croatian humanitarian and Democratic activist in the USA
Joseph Thomas Rukavina, 91 years old of White Bear Lake, MN died on June 10, 2013 at Southview Acres Health Care Center in West St. Paul. Joe was a long time activist within the Democratic party and so proud of his work with three Croatian American groups: Croatian Fraternal Union, MN Croatian Cultural Society and the National Federation of Croatian Americans (co-founder). He was honored with awards from both the Republic of Croatia and The White House for his outstanding humanitarian work during the 1990s war in Croatia and in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He was a founding member of St. Pius X Church in White Bear Lake and was active there for 59 years.
Croatian-American patriot Joseph Thomas Rukavina (1922-2013)
Joseph Rukavina, 91 years old of White Bear Lake, MN died on June 10, 2013 at Southview Acres Health Care Center in West St. Paul after five months battling cardio-renal syndrome and congestive heart failure. He was born in Virginia, MN February 4, 1922 to Croatian immigrant parents, Thomas and Lucy Rukavina. He attended local Virginia schools and then two years at Virginia Junior College . Joe served in the US Navy for three years and earned a commendation for heroism on Iwo Jima. Joe was a long time activist within the Democratic party and so proud of his work with three Croatian American groups: Croatian Fraternal Union, MN Croatian Cultural Society and the National Federation of Croatian Americans.
General Dr. Ivan Prodan 1927-2013 founder of Croatian Veteran Association in 1990
Primarius Dr. Ivan Prodan, Croatian general, was the first president of the Croatian Veteran Association, founded in 1990. Since 1993 this association was a full member of the World Veteran Federation (WVF) with its seat in Paris. Furthermore, Dr. Prodan was the first Croatian to have been elected as a member of the Permanent committee of the WVF. Croatian Veterans gave an important contribution to the defense of sovreignity of the Republic of Croatia.
Adam Eterovich 1931-2013 distinguished researcher of the history and culture of Croatian diaspora in the USA
Adam Eterovich’s studies of Croatian diaspora in the USA are inavoidable for understanding the contribution Croatians to the history of the USA. He has accumulated and published a list of several hundred thosanad of names of Croatian Americans. On his well known web-site www.croatians.com Mr. Eterovich has selected dozens of interesting biographies, some of which left indelible mark in the history of the USA, like Nikola Tesla (the father of three-phase system in world’s electrical engineering), Anthony Lucas (or Antun Lučić, a father of world’s petroleum engineering), Mario Puretić (Puratić, important inventor in fishing industry), etc. etc.
Margaret Thatcher 1925-2013: It is a great pleasure to speak to you here in the ancient capital of your beautiful country
Margaret Thatcher passed away on 8 April 2013. One of her greatest achievements came when she was no longer Prime Minister. She came out in support of recognising and arming Croatia in 1991 when Serbia had invaded and she did the same for Bosnia-Hercegovina when Belgrade turned its aggression onto that country. In so doing she helped focus international onto who was the aggressor. She played her role in combating the return of genocide to Europe. (Brian Gallagher, London)
Ferdinand Kulmer 1925-1998 distinguished Croatian painter author of Croatia Phoenix series in 1991
According to Mr. Ante Glibota, distinguished Art Historian, a Croatian living in Paris and Shanghai, nobody in the contemporary history of Croatian art has so successfuly and convincingly described the drama of the creation of the Republic of Croatia, as Ferdinand Kulmer. Ferdinand Kulmer was a witness of the drama, which he superbly described in his paintings, and announced the victory in a series called Croatia Phoenix already in 1991. Born in France, Kulmer was a descendant of Croatian nobility, sharing the destiny of all Croatians. His works of art are described in several representative monographs written by Ante Glibota.
Happy Easter from distinguished Croatian painter Zdenka Sertic 1899-1986
Zdenka Sertić 1899-1986 studied painting in Zagreb, Berlin and Paris, and specialized in drawings related to Croatian folklore. From 1939 to 1941 directed the Ethnographic Museum in Zagreb. She painted some of the most beautiful Croatian postage stamps, and participated in exhibitions in Paris, Leipzig, Barcelona, Berlin, Kopenhagen, Haag and Bruxelles. She also painted several beautiful Easter greeting cards, that we show in this article. According to Dr. Vedran Deletis, NY, “Croatian glagolitic Lenten chants retrace a venerable and direct link to our ancestors, our roots, and our religious belief. Born out of Middle Ages, they continue to extend an unbroken tradition of Croatian history…”
Jacob Jake Matijevic 1947-2012 NASA engineer of Croatian origin father of Curiosity rover on Mars
 Jacob (Richard) Matijevic, also known as “Jake” Matijevic, (3 November 1947 – 20 August 2012) was an American NASA engineer of Croatian origin who worked on Mars Exploration Rovers. Dr. Matijevic, PhD in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, was involved in developing the “Sojourner”, “Spirit”, “Opportunity” and “Curiosity” rovers. For his contributions to the rover projects, NASA named several landmarks (including “Matijevic Hill” and “Jake Matijevic” rock) for him on the planet Mars.
Kathy Wilkes Dr Honoris Causa of the University of Zagreb 2001
Dr. Katheleen Wilkes (1946-2003), during her speech at the University of Zagreb in 2001: A charming thought to start a rather depressing talk. Johann Gottfried von Herder, in 1791: “How wonderfully has Nature separated nations, not only by woods and mountains, seas and deserts, rivers and climates, but most particularly by languages, inclinations and characters, so that the work of subjugating despotism might be rendered more difficult…”
Thomas Crowley 1949-1995 Irish hero of Croatian defense 1991-1995
Thomas Crawley (1949-1995) arrived to Croatia in 1991, where he participated in its defense. He tragically died in 1995 at the age of 46. He was a Major of Croatian Army. Commemorative Mass in his honor has been organized in the city of Split on 10th June 2012 in the Cathedral of St. Dujam. His earthy remains are buried in the Split cemetery. Thomas Crowley is not only the son of Ireland, but also the son of Croatia.