Manda UZELAC

2 APR 1920 - 12 NOV 2015

• BIRTH: 2 APR 1920, Lipovo Polje, Yugoslavia
• DEATH: 12 NOV 2015, South Bend, IN

1.  Sophia STOJSAVLJEVICH

• MARRIAGE: 18 DEC 1948, Grossenbrode, Germany

1.  Milica BESLAC

INDEX

[N13593] Manda Beslac
Apr. 2, 1920 - Nov. 12, 2015
SOUTH BEND - Manda Beslac, 95, passed away at 1:50 p.m., Thursday, November 12, 2015 in Memorial Hospital. Manda was born on April 2, 1920 in Lipovo Polje, Yugoslavia to Gavrilo and Pera (Javorina) Uzelac. In 1944, as a young woman, Manda fled with her brother and many others from the horrors of World War II. With one loaf of bread given by her mother and a prayer that she would find safety, she never dreamed she would make it to America and live to be 95. Their journey by foot took them through Slovenia and into Italy, where they lived in a refugee camp in Eboli, Italy for two and a half years. Here Manda met and married her first husband, Milos Stojsavljevich. After the birth of their daughter, Sophia, they were moved to another refugee camp in Grossenbrode, Germany, where Milos was killed in an accident in October of 1947. At the same camp, Manda married her second husband, Milan Beslac in December of 1948. They immigrated to the United States in October 1949 to begin a new life. Manda gave birth to her second daughter Milica in 1951. Milan died on the 19th of April, 1996. Manda lived in South Bend for the next 65 years. She was an active member of Sts. Peter & Paul Serbian Orthodox Church, the Circle of Serbian Sisters Kolo "Carica Milica" church women's group, and the Serb National Federation fraternal group. She was honored to be named Kuma (God Mother) on the occasion of Petrov Dan, celebrating the Church's 100 year aniversary. She was proud of her Serbian heritage and loved her Eastern Orthodox faith. Manda's daughter Sophia (Richard Witteman) Savich lives in Gualala, CA; her daughter Milica (Michael) Taylor lives in Niles, MI. She is grandmother ("Baba") to Sophia's daughter Millica (Marcello) Robertson Biava, who lives in Genova, Italy, and great grandmother to Millica's three daughters Isabeau, Zoe, and Liliana. Manda's sister Milica Ivetic and sister-in-law Marta Uzelac live in Windsor, Canada, along with a nephew and nieces, who live in Canada, the US, and Serbia. She was preceded in death by her brothers, Mile Uzelac, Dane Uzelac, and Petar Uzelac. As a mother-in-law, Manda was blessed to have Michael and Richard in her life, and was grateful for their love and care. Manda's 19 year old great granddaughter Isabeau wrote this in tribute to her: the place where a person comes from is important. what is that person's history, their journey. I'm grateful of the choices that brought the existence of my great grandmother. the timing and the choices all meshed, all blended into one, gave me her. I depend on her. if it wasn't for her, for her joy, her happiness, her bravery, her heartbrokenness, I wouldn't be me I owe my life to her. could I ever be more grateful? this idea doesn't apply only to her, but to all my grandparents and my great grandparents. all of their lives got put into one, and now here I am. I don't understand myself as different from them. I am not. I live because of their timing. my great grandmother is the perfect demonstration of the possibility of having a noble and kind heart. to think about everybody else before themselves. no one can ever take away the time I spent talking to her. learning from the scars, and the sparks of happiness and love that shine in her eyes. to me she is not a fearless old lady, to me she is my Baba, the woman that gave so much to me, that did so much for me, even before I existed so, for that I am thankful and honored. honored to be her in myself. her blood runs within me. I will always carry her in my heart, and remember her as the most stubborn, loving, courageous, giving person in the world. I just hope that I was able to give at least a quarter of all that she has given me. I love Baba to the moon and back, but that is not enough. I love her to the ends of the universe and the way back. I love you, Baba so much. "honest to God" Baba. your great granddaughter, Isabeau Funeral services will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 19, 2015 in Sts. Peter & Paul Serbian Orthodox Church. Burial will follow in Southlawn Cemetery. Family and friends may call from 4-8 p.m., Wednesday in the Zahoran Funeral Home, 1826 Kemble Avenue where a prayer service will take place at 7:30pm. Viewing will also take place 1 hour prior to services in the church. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Sts. Peter & Paul Serbian Orthodox Church. To leave an online condolence visit our website www.zahoran.com, or our Facebook page, Zahoran Funeral Home. Published in South Bend Tribune from Nov. 15 to Nov. 17, 2015