Zarja
Official Publication Slovenian Union of America
Uradno Glasilo Slovenske Zveze v Ameriki

$8.99 U.S./$15.99 International

Volume 90 Issue 2
Summer 2018

The Dawn

Žiče Charterhouse, a 12th century Carthusian Monastery

Slovenian Union of America
431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703
TELEPHONE: 815.727.1926
WEBSITE: slovenianunion.org
2015-2019 National Board of Directors
PRESIDENT: Mary Lou Deyak Voelk
(Branch 23) ottolou@gulftel.com
VP OF OUTREACH: Annette Charron
(Branch 3) amtcharron@gmail.com
VP OF HOME OFFICE: Diane Hohenwater
(Branch 20) dhohenwater@comcast.net
VP OF MARKETING & FUND-RAISING: Norm Setnicker
(Branch 109) normas188@msn.com
VP OF CULTURE & HERITAGE: Beverly Kochmann
(Branch 109) bbkochmann@msn.com
NATIONAL TREASURER: Robert J. Kuhel
(Branch 16) rjkuhel@sbcglobal.net
CORRESPONDING/RECORDING SECRETARY:
Denise P. Bartlett (Branch 43)
denisepbartlett@wi.rr.com
STANDING COMMITTEES
RESEARCH & ADVISORY
Chuck Debevec (Branch 109) cfdebevec@live.com
Richard Terselic (Branch 103) rat1@verizon.net
EDUCATION GRANTS
Barbara Bruch (Branch 89) barbarabruch@yahoo.com
Frances Kovatovich (Branch 35) velike2000@yahoo.com
Bill Zerial (Branch 99) billzer@sbcglobal.net
PRESERVATION
Carol Novak (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org
Carole Terlep (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org
Georgene Agnich (Branch 20) sua@slovenianunion.org
WEBMASTER: Vacant
FACEBOOK: Vacant
DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS: Alisa Tugberk
(ISSN 0044-1848)
Postmaster: Send all changes of address to this location:
SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA
431 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432-1703

© Copyright All Rights Reserved

Front Cover:
The Žiče Charterhouse
was built between 1155
and 1165 near the village
of Špitalič as a monastery
for cloister monks to live
according to the strict
rule of the Carthusians.
Today the charterhouse is an important cultural monument in Slovenia.

Letter to the Editor
Dear Bonnie,
Again I must write and tell you how much I enjoy the writing of Mr. Sodac. I am a retired teacher, an English major,
and really appreciate his work. It is clear, easy to follow,
and in my mind the subjects are worthy and pertinent.
So happy you found him, and I hope we keep him as a
contributor to the Zarja.
Sincerely, Jenny Skul
P.S. I don’t know him, so my comments are not political!
Jeannette Skul, Branch 20 - Joliet, Illinois

Zarja - The Dawn

EDITOR: Bonnie Pohar Prokup
DIRECTOR OF DESIGN: Debbie Pohar
CONSULTING EDITORS: Annette Charron and
Bernadette K. Fitzsimmons
EDITORIAL OFFICE: 3119 Carrie St., Peru, IL 61354
PUBLISHER: Slovenian Union of America
Vol. 90, No. 2 Summer 2018 Published quarterly
Periodicals Postage paid at Joliet, IL and additional mailing offices.
Communications for the next issue of publication
Do you have something you would like to share with readers? We would
love to hear from you! Please e-mail the editor at wprokup@aol.com. We
reserve the right to edit any article submitted. Articles must be related
to Slovenia, SUA events, or members. The deadline for articles is the
10th day of the month, two (2) months preceding the issue. For example,
articles for the Fall issue must be received by July 10. Thank you.
Submission Guidelines
E-mail your photos attached as jpeg files. If you have an old photo
that is irreplaceable, please make a good-quality copy to share with us.
(Scanned copies must be a resolution of 300 or higher.)
By submitting material for publication, you grant the Slovenian Union
of America the use of the material including your name, hometown, and
state. We may modify, reproduce, and distribute it in any SUA authorized
medium and in any manner or appropriate place.

Living the Legacy of our Slovenian Heritage

Slovenian Union of America, Inc (SUA)

THE STATE OF THE UNION
Annette Charron, Branch 3 - Pueblo, Colorado, has accepted the office of Vice President of Outreach. Alisa Tugberk,
Branch 103 - Washington, D.C., has been appointed the
Director of Special Projects. She is replacing Denise Bartlett, Branch 43 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who has accepted
the position of Corresponding/Recording Secretary and
Parliamentarian.

books or their duplicates created more than 100 years ago.
Americans are fortunate for Ellis Island. During the Member Representative teleconference meeting on March 23,
the possibility of a Slovenian DNA Pool was introduced.
The SUA is working with Slovenia in setting up such a
program. The purpose: to find a match, perhaps a match
that locates a 2nd or 3rd cousin or a long lost uncle.

SUA Literary Award
Stephanie Owens, Branch 93 - New York City, New York,
is heading the establishment of a Slovenian Union of
America Literary Award. This is a first among all Slovenian organizations in the United States. The award is to
promote the talents of our SUA members. The following
are confirmed members of the committee: Stephanie Owens, Tanya Vajk, Joe Valencic, Bernadette Fitzsimmons,
and Maria Rode.

Our Home Office
The Heritage Museum/home office building is over 100
years old. It is a beautiful building sitting on a corner across
the street from St. Joseph Slovenian Catholic Church. The
bathroom prevents us from fully utilizing this building. The
museum cannot be open to the public or have events in this
condition. Most important, we’d like it to comply with the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The size of the
original bathroom on the main floor measures 4 ft. x 8 ft.
It is estimated, by the vinyl on the floor and the basin sink,
the bathroom is of 1940-1950 vintage when last remodeled.

Stephanie, Tanya, and I recently conversed via teleconference regarding the initial criteria in the establishment of
said award: A formal name for the Literary Award, meeting
times of the committee members, timelines for the submissions and award announcements, ages of writers, and
genre(s) will be established.
The establishment of this award is exciting. In the very
near future, the literary creativity of writers from across
the SUA will be made known. This award is in keeping
with the textual literacy begun by France Prešeren. Until
Slovenia gained sovereignty, it was the Slovenian literature
and language that united its people.
Archivists
In the Winter Issue 2017, an article appeared in Zarja The Dawn regarding the visiting archivists from Slovenia.
Beverly Kochmann, Branch 109 - Twin Cities, Minnesota,
and I spent six days with the Slovenian archivists. It was a
pleasure to walk into this building again for the National
Board meeting and see the results of those long hours of
toil. All periodicals not associated with the SUA have
been given away to the proper locations/organizations.
The scanning of hundreds of pages was completed. The
basement has never looked so good!
DNA
In Slovenia, the primary sources of genealogical information can be obtained from the civil and ecclesiastical
archives where these are largely still available in original

Summer 2018

Georgene Agnich, Branch 20 - Joliet, Illinois, is spearheading the effort to assess the needs of the bathroom and
the back entrance. The Deputy City Manager of Joliet has
been of tremendous help. He has personally visited our
facility, measured, conversed with her, and directed her
to the Joliet City Center Partnership Grant program that
has just recently been approved by the Joliet City Council.
Access into the building has also been of concern. It was
found that the rear door meets the minimum width of 32
inches, which is required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The back door can be made handicap accessible
with the addition of portable ramps. The SUA owes Georgene tremendous gratitude for the time and effort she has
put into this study and for a very thorough report. More
information will be forthcoming.
WW II Project
About 10 years ago, a WW II survey was placed in Zarja
- The Dawn. It was a two-part survey: one for service
rendered abroad, the other on the home front. Artifacts/
archives were collected. I feel it necessary that the SUA
put forth one more attempt in attaining information regarding those who served. The survey will be sent out to
every Member Representative. Please have copies of this
survey at the next several branch meetings. Send completed
surveys to the main office in Joliet. If you have questions,
contact ottolou@gulftel.com.
1

Slovenian American Times
Each year the Slovenian American Times, a newspaper
out of Cleveland, Ohio, prints the roster of all Slovenian
lodges, musical groups, and organizations. The SUA has
not been able to keep a current roster. In addition, most
of our branches have never had the recognition of being
published. A sample format with instructions will be sent
to each branch in November of each year. SUA will then
be responsible for sending in all branch information. The
advertisement is free, so let’s take advantage of this. By
the way, if you receive the paper, did you check out the
Slovenian Union of America? I have no idea how they
came up with what you see.
Request for Branch Membership Rosters
Terri Rossi, Branch 16 - So. Chicago, Illinois, requested
that at least once each year branches receive a current
membership listing. This will show any new members; it
will allow members to be notified of activities. This is a
practice the SUA will adopt.
Language Classes
Congratulations to Branch 93 - New York City. They
received word from Slovenia they have won a grant of
$1,200 euros for the continuation of the Slovenian language classes.
Taste of Slovenia, Oglesby, Illinois
On Saturday March 23, following the Member Rep meeting, five of the national board members traveled to Oglesby,
Branch 89 to attend their annual Taste of Slovenia. The
buffet-style counter was laden with strudel, sausages, and
potica. Friendship was abound! Thank you Branch 89!
The Slovenian-American Table:
There are about 50 cookbooks left. They make great gifts!
Educational and Cultural Grants:
Applications are posted on slovenianunion.org.
SUA’s Wish List
1. The bathroom in the upstairs apartment has a need. Up
to five people can be staying in the apartment and using
that bathroom. Presently, a bucket of water from the bathtub stands ready to “help” fill the tank so the next flush
can take place; the selected solution: a $500 water-saving
Koehler toilet with powerful jets that perform the action
using only 1.2 gallons of water per flush.
2. About four years ago a refurbished laptop and several
desktop computers for the main office were purchased.
They have served us well, but the office technology now
needs an overhaul. One desk computer is still being used in
the scanning process of our archives, the other for receiving
incoming email. The laptop contains the entire membership
roster and is used by our VP of Home Office who deserves
responsive equipment for day-to-day business.
We ask that each member take this wish list seriously.
Donations are needed to solve the issues that confront
2

us. Send your donations, indicating “Wish List: Toilet or
Technology” to our main office address: Slovenian Union
of America, 431 N Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432
3. URGENT! A Webmaster and social media person wanted! The SUA is not in the forefront; no one is manning the
Internet. We cannot ignore the power of the Internet, and
we need to increase our membership and involve members
in the SUA. Please step forward if you can offer services.
Contact Norm Setnicker at normas188@msn.com.
I leave you with this quote from Marie Prisland:
“The Slovenian Union of America is not the success of one
person or a group of people. Success in our organization has
been reached because every officer and every individual
member has contributed.”
Mary Lou Deyak Voelk, President
Slovenian Union of America

New Members
Welcome - Dobrodošli
1, Baumann, Helen
3, Albertolle, Elise
3, Charron, Christine
3, Nunez, Molly
5, Schuett, Michael
10, Collins, Shawn
10, Crummie, Sylvan
10, Minardo, Michaelle
10, Saab, Roberta (Berthie)
10, Segulin, Michelina
10, Semenchuk, Rosemary
16, Frederick, Sharon C.
20, McBrayer, Kristine
20, Ringo, Phyllis
20, Smolich, Brian
20, Smolich, Craig
20, Zakosek, John
20, Zakosek, Joseph
20, Zakosek, Michael
35, Foster, Makayla
35, Foster, Mariska
35, Foster, Meredith
43, Jaksic, Irene
43, Wisconsin Historical Society,
89, Anderson, Jean
100, Bernhardt, Norbert
100, Govednik, Joe
109, Ellis, Connor
109, Ellis, Dylan
109, Ellis, Sydney
109, Kochmann, Cordelia
109, Ozanich, Carleen
110, Stratmoen, Cvetenick Dee

Zarja - The Dawn

SLOVENIAN UNION OF AMERICA, INC.
Consolidated Financial Condition
Year Ending December 31, 2017
REVENUES:
Contributions to Home Office
Branch Program Revenues, Contributions, Slovenian Grant
Membership Dues For Support
Cookbooks, Gift shop Sales (net of cost)
Investment Income
Fund Raiser - April Showers Raffle (net of awards & expenses)
Ad Sales-Zarja & Other Rebates
Total Revenue

2017
$17,001
68,636
54,580
5,753
19,312
4,040
586
$169,908

LESS OPERATING EXPENSES:
Grants-Educational & Heritage
Building-Utilities, Real Estate Tax, Maintenance, Security
Office Supplies, Salaries & Taxes
Zarja-Printing, Proofreading, Salaries & Taxes, Postage
Branch Program Expenses
Depreciation-Building, Equipment, Furniture
Insurance- Property, General Liability, Workers Comp., D & O
Investment Fees
Telephone, Internet, Website, Systems Support
Board Meeting Expenses
Membership-Printing Notices, Postage
Storage Expense
Audit Fee
Other Expenses
Total Operating Expenses
Excess For Year-2017
Net Assets at Beginning Of Year
NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR

$2,150
9,501
8,887
34,822
67,584
2,427
4,537
3,961
3,514
537
2,227
1,080
480
1,661
$143,368
26,540
415,689
$442,229

2. Budgets have been balanced for
2016, 2017. Budget for 2018 is
breakeven; however, always subject to unknown subsequent events,
and by having regular monthly
financial reports, any action can
be quickly taken. Branches don’t
formally submit a budget; however, overall results are close to a
balance.
3. Membership has been declining
about 10% a year and stabilized in
2017; however, as of April 2018
there appears to be another decline.
4. Membership dues have been unchanged for some years and best
immediate solution is an overall
program to add to new members.
5. Preparation of The
Slovenian-American Table cookbook
was a great idea and proved financially successful. From June 2015
through December 2017, there
were $54,545 in revenues, less
$15,888 in expenses of cookbook
cost/shipping, producing a net
profit of $38,657.

6. Considering the membership decline and the lack of paid ads, it
was necessary to reduce Zarja The Dawn from six issues a year
$47,172 to four issues a year
$30,740 thereby saving $16,432.
Commentary on Consolidated Financial Condition
Be it known, the quality of the
for Year ending December 31, 2017
magazine has not changed, and
savings have greatly contributed to
The Consolidated report has been organized with clearer explanations and
a balanced budget.
includes branch revenues and expenses. A detailed explanation was provided the Member Representatives on March 24, 2018 and is included with the
7. Changes were made to expand inminutes.
surance coverage without increasing total premiums. All branch
Year 2017 was good year because of business decisions made soon after the
members now attending branch
June 30, 2015 quadrennial in Naperville Illinois.
meetings are covered by General
Liability Insurance, and all branch
1. Major challenge was a balance budget considering, declining number
officers are covered by Directors
of members, freezing membership dues, reduction of Zarja - The Dawn
and Officers insurance.
from six issues to four issues a year, selling all cookbooks, and reducing
as much as possible other operating expenses. As a result, we had excess cash, excess earnings over expenses, therefore being able to move
$57,000 to Legacy investment from April 2016 to February 2018.

Summer 2018

Respectfully submitted,
Robert J. Kuhel, Treasurer
3

Donations Thank you! -Hvala lepa!

$125 Donation
Jill Caldwell Augustine, 103,
Educational Grant +Robert
Augustine, my husband

$100 Donation
Patrick Ziegenhorn, 1,
+Johanna Suscha, charter
member of Branch 1
Raymond H. Oviyach, 20,
+Frank and Frances Oviyach
Anthony Kambich, 20,
Educational Grant +Family of
Anton & Helen Kambich
Charles Dolinar, 23, SUA
Tom Klobucher, 24,
+John & Rose Ann Klobucher
Mary Ann Kosir, 30,
Educational Grant
Janice Gehm, 43,
+mother, Jean Luzar
Bernadette Blatnik, 47, SUA
Germaine (Grdina) Amato, 50,
+Amato & Grdina Families
Barbara Bruch, 89,
+The Terselic Girls of LaSalle
Elizabeth A. Fox, 89,
+Carolyn Widmar & Honor of
The Immacul. Heart of Mary
Michael Ebner, 89,
+Josephine Argubright
Barbara M. Louthan, 93,
+Francine Polainer Mankus
Barbara J. Block, 99, +my dad &
mom, Ray & Fran Schultz
Gary L. Sever, 108, +John John,
Clara, Luke & Mark Sever
Raymond Jaros,
+wife, Barbara Jaros, Branch 54
$75 Donation
Ruth J. Monaco, 2,
+Frances & Joseph Hren
Mary Rogers, 3,
+Ann Padboy Sullivan
Lynn Kurnick Yager, 13, +Edward
Kurnick & Agnes Kurnick
Rosanne Savol, 20,
+Ann Ramuta Savol &
Josephine Ramuta Sumic
4

Leona Janezich, 23, Cultural Grant
Mary Lauritzen, 24, SUA
Georgina M. Varani, 30, SUA
Mary Glaize, 30, SUA
Jozica Tompa, 43,
+Ivan & Maltilda Omerzu
Karen Zuga, 54, +Victoria Zuga
Elizabeth Gross, 93,
Honor of Mia Rode, Ria
Whitmire & Joan Walker, our
Slovenian language teachers
Peggy Argubright, 100, SUA
Edward Primozic, 108,
Cultural Grant
John Zakelj, 109,
Honor of Norm Setnicker
David Setnicker, 109, Cultural Grant
+Margaret Setnicker
$70 Donation
Barbara Friesenhahn, 5, SUA
$60 Donation
Jean Robertson, 43,
+Louis M. Kovach

$50 Donation
Elsie Wojdula, 2, +Ted Wojdula
Mary Ann Cullen, 3,
+Catherine Perko
Frances Thurman, 3,
+Ed & Catherine Perko
Sara Fon Cline, 5, +Mary Fon &
Pauline Loviscek
Virginia F. Sustarich, 13,
+Judnich-Sustarich Family
Doreen V. Sustarich, 13,
+mother, Helen Sustarich,
twin sister, Moreen J. Spencer
Richard Smolich, 20,
+Anton & Mary Smolich
Beatrice Holmes, 20,
+Frances & William Papesh
Frances Oldenburg, 20, +Mary Rojic
Maria L. Gulas, 20, +Isabelle Gulas
Susan Dvornik, 20, SUA
Donald Dvornik, 20, SUA
Ronald Erjavec, 20,
+Mary Lou Erjavec

Albina Medved, 23, +Paula Mavec
& +Theresa Vlaisavljevich
Mary Lou Voelk, 23, Educational
Grant & Cultural Grant
Diane Data, 24,
+Rose Kellett, my mother &
+Mary Dusak, my grandmother
Stephanie Helm, 30, +Mollie Masel
Theresa Donahoe, 30,
+Stefana Masel
Joyce M. Ferlic Arredondo, 40,
Honor of Mary & George Ferlic
Mary Ann Teitelbaum, 40,
+May Ferlic
Barbara Sostakowski, 47,
+Lovko Family
Hermine Blatnik Morrow, 50,
+Albin Blatnik
Kirsten Williams, 50, SUA
Patricia VanGunten, 54, Honor of
Rose Racher & Mary Ponikvar
Sonja Mosquin, 93, SUA
Nada Weber, 93, SUA
Mary Ann Partyka, 99,
+Frances Schultz
George J. Plautz, 102, +Ellen Plautz
Jo Ann Dryden, 102,
+Francel & Koschak familiesWillard, WI & Honor of Dolores
“Dolly” Kozar Maki
Mary Jane Vidmar Williamson, 103,
Educational Grant
Anne K. Stratton, 108,
+Louise Tamse Hagan
Deb Baker, Educational Grant
+Stephanie Polutnik
$45 Donation
Margy Whitmore, 108, Educational
Grant & Cultural Grant
$40 Donation
Josephine Lustik, 20, +Walter Lustik
Vida Lanari, 35, SUA
Wayne Krempach, 99, +Joan
Kaczmarek & +Ethel Latimer
$35 Donation
Joyce Marie Vicich, 20, Educational
Grant & Cultural Grant

Zarja - The Dawn

Maria Whitmire, 93, Educational
Grant & Cultural Grant
$30 Donation
Karen Hribar Spires, 102,
+Pauline Francel-Hribar
Mary Louise Terselic, 103,
Educational Grant
$25 Donation
Edward A. Tesovnik, 1, +Olfa Saye
Marilyn J. Hendricks, 1,
+Frank & Martha Kotnick
Kathleen Schroeder, 1,
+Dorothy Brezonik
Ralph Dottai, 1,
+Mr. & Mrs. Val Skrube
Daniela Dottai, 1,
+Mr. & Mrs. Val Skrube
Mary Helen Fischer, 1, SUA
Joan Steinman, 2, Educational Grant
Beth Ann Manion, 2,
Educational Grant
Jennie Kovacic, 2,
Educational Grant
John Tegel, 2, SUA
Marion Steffy, 2,
+Anna & Feliz Jackopin
Kathleen DeMuth, 2,
Educational Grant
Michele Kochevar, 2,
+Helen Kochevar
Dolores Lewis, 2, +Ann Kahover
Lorraine Ovnik, 2,
Educational Grant
Agnes Gaber, 2, SUA
Margaret Antoinette Carter, 3,
Educational Grant
Kathleen Marie Starcevich, 3,
+Mrs. Christine Bradish
Nancy Kochevar, 3, SUA
Elizabeth Skul, 3,
+Elizabeth Giarrantano
Mary Barbarich, 5,
Educational Grant
Jerry Watson, 5, +Teta Lavena
Wiegand & Teta Jeanie Miley
Terri Kashman, 5, +Rosie Dugar
Tina Jernigan, 5, Cultural Grant
Sheryl L. Thorpe, 5,
+Branch 5 departed members
Rick Trauner, 5, +Ernestine Trauner
Paul Barbarich, 5,
+Sophie Brodnik Barbarich

Summer 2018

Jean Ivons, 10, +Albert Ivons
Peter R. Janes, 10, +Parker Janes
Michele K. Twers, 13,
+Josephine Aiuto, mother
Evelyn Kinnear, 13, SUA
Robert J. Kuhel, 16,
+Mary Skal-Kuhel
Mary Jo Savol, 20,
Educational Grant
Jerry Zakosek, 20, +David Laurich
Janet Steensland, 20, +Margaret
Stalzer & Fr. David Stalzer
Jean A. Herbst, 20, +Joyce Korst
Dorothy Mahan, 20,
+Jean Govednik
Alfreda Marentic, 20,
+Fred Wayne Marentic
Georgene Agnich, 20,
+George Agnich & Anna Sitar
Leslie Ferguson, 20, SUA
Karen DelRaso, 20,
+James & Lois Lausch
James Smolich, 20, Cultural Grant
Marcia Judnick, 20, SUA
Robert Judnick, 20, SUA
Catherine Bokar, 20, + Ana Kozan
& Joanne Oberman
Joan Egly, 20, +Mike & Jen Juricic
Angela M. Zaida, 20,
+The Lukancic Family
Mary Zakrajsek, 20, +Rudolph
Grahek & Frances Duša Grahek
Cindy Welsh, 20, +Anna Kobe
Dorothy Regis, 20,
Educational Grant
Joseph Ancel, 20, +Ed & Olga Ancel
Bernice Montgomery, 20,
+Frank & Frances Oviyach
Menky Mata, 20, Cultural Grant
+Sylvia Troop
Paula Uremovic Laskowski, 20,
+Mary Rose Uremovic
Agnes E. Yapel, 23,
Educational Grant
John Voelk, 23, Educational Grant
Barbara J. Omerza, 23,
+Ronald Omerza
Kathleen M. Recht, 23,
+Grandpa Ron Omerza
Mary M. Ravnikar, 23,
Educational Grant
Dolores K. Maki, 23,
+Rose Kozar, mother
Barbara A. Hiltbrunner, 23, SUA

Michelle Carlson, 23,
+Florence V. Markovich
Frank Pohar, 24, SUA
Frances Susa, 26,
+Mary & Judith Susa
Frances Adamic, 30, +Barbara Baish
& Helen Grasser
Cheryl Megahan, 30, +Anna Karun
& Dorothy Bernick
Patti Meglich, 30, Cultural Grant
Mary Ann M. Tarro, 30,
+my brother, Anthony
Carolyn Mallik, 30, SUA
Clarice Pawlicki, 30,
Honor of Clarice Pawlicki
Ludmila Bratina-Burns, 30,
+Ily Bratina
Debra A. Briggs, 30,
+Dorothy Zakrajsek Bechtel
Deanna C. Martin, 30,
+Anne Dickovich
Marcia Jean Smith, 30, +Vern Zadel
Ivan Koralt, 30, SUA
Carol Marie Jacobson, 33,
+Dorothy Jacobson, Mary
Hinnenkamp, Mae DelZotto
Jeanne M. Janchar, 33,
+Mary Shubitz
Deborah Voelk Good, 33,
+William Prokup
Mary Frances Musich, 35, SUA
Arlette Mikulich, 35,
+Ed & Ellen Mikulich
Margaret Laurich, 35,
+mother, Katherine L. Hanka
Brenda J. Anderson, 35,
+Josephine A. Trost
Karen Lockard, 42, +Angela Gruden
Barbara Tercek, 42,
+Clarence & Mary Doles
Aggie Haslup, 42,
+Teresa (Vrcek) Gorup
Edward Vidmar, 43,
Educational Grant
Constance Vidmar, 43,
Educational Grant
Karl Dovnik Jr., 43,
+Rosalie Dovnik
Deborah Brown, 43, +Anton Skul
Dianne Zebrowski, 43, SUA
Judith Price, 43, +Cecelia Verbick
Patricia Reddy, 43,
+Joseph & Amelia Zefran
Frank Markelc, 43, SUA
5

Mary Ann Greiner, 47, SUA
Sandra Turner, 47, SUA
Nancy E. Bartholomew, 50,
+Ann Potochar
Josephine Sovich, 50, +Josephine
Fajdiga & Lillian Goryance
Nancy Slapnik, 50,
+Antoinette Gerbec
Marie Pivik, 50, +Anna Tomsick
Julie F. Drobnick, 50,
+Aunt Ceil Znidar
Michelle Holderbaum MD, 50,
+Frances Spech
Jo Ann Reinhardt, 50, SUA
Roseanne Kirk Potla, 50,
+Anna Fortuna
Julia Zalar, 50, SUA
Sandra Grisez, 50,
+Josephine Simenc
Marcelline Mills, 50,
Educational Grant
Louise Vett, 54, +Anna Savor
Charles Strimlan, 71,
+Ann & Charles Strimlan
Marian Plovic, 71,
Educational Grant
Elizabeth J. Wroblewski, 89,
+Betty Terselc
Trudy Link, 93, Educational Grant
& Cultural Grant
Vera Mencigar, 93, Cultural Grant
Renata Weber, 93, +Ivana Slavec
Maria Skrilec, 93, SUA
Kathleen Clime, 93, +Kozole Family
Annamarie Bodisch, 93,
+Anna Bodisch
Amalija Novak, 99, SUA
Miriam Burkland, 99, SUA
Rose Marie Lawing, 99,
Educational Grant
Gloria Ekerman, 99,
+father, Fred Orehek
Anne M. Antich, 99, SUA
Elaine Taylor, 99, SUA
Stacy Mavec, 99, +Paula Mavec
Wanda Kocinec, 99,
+Anton & Dina Skamperle
Rosemary Mlakar, 100,
Educational Grant
Maria Sego, 100, SUA
Maxine Schmidl, 100,
+Margaret Schmidl
Fredrick Mlakar, 100,
Educational Grant
6

Anna Lomshek, 100, Cultural Grant
Jerry Lomshek, 100,
Educational Grant
Polly A. Potisk, 100, SUA
Ana Sonc Jevtic, 103,
Educational Grant
Damjan & Candace Novoselnik,
108, Educational Grant
Nika B. Kovacic, 108,
+Eric A. Kovacic
Valentina Ronning, 109,
Educational Grant
Anthony Bombich, 109, +Anthony
E. & Sophie A. Bombich
Norman J. Setnicker, 109,
Educational Grant
Mary Ann Setnicker, 109,
Educational Grant
Janet Marie C. Hagan, 109, SUA
Marcia Spagnolo, 109, +Jacob Adam
Siegfried Brewer, 109, SUA
Jerry Sherek, 109, SUA
Bernadine Medved, 109, SUA
Beverly Kochmann, 109, SUA
Jeanette Sevshek Buchanan, 109,
Educational Grant
John Olson, 109, Educational Grant
Anne Gerzin, 109, Cultural Grant
Norm & Mary Ann Setnicker, 109,
Educational Grant +Stephanie
Polutnik
Lauren Mancuso, Honor of Mary
Okleson (Kastelic)
$20 Donation
Joan K. Daniel, 1,
+mother, Agnes Gergisch
(Charter member of Br. 1)
Margaret A. Fischer, 1,
+Margaret G. Fischer
Rosemary Litwin, 2,
+mother, Antonia Densa
Kathleen Kopfensteiner, 2, SUA
Nancy Benedict, 13, +Sophie Troya
Ashley Benedict, 13,
+Mary Klepec & Mary Troya
Family Alkovich, 16, +Mary
Alkovich & +Emma Yergovich
Bernadine Gudac, 20, SUA
Marcia Manning, 20,
+Ann Verhunce Nelson
Beverly DeJule, 20, +Ann Pershey
& Betty DeJule

Rosemary Parola, 24,
+Mary Kastigar
Josephine Grabowski, 24,
+Josephine Pohar
Cathy Lenkaitis, 24, +John Pohar
Louis A. Kastelic, 42,
+Louis Kastelic, Sr.
Betty Ann Kastelic, 42,
+Antonija Kastelic
Angela Nankin, 43, +Rudy Delopst
Jacqueline J. Hanks, 50,
+Jennie Omersa
Anica Bremec, 50,
+Bremec & Slak Families
Margaret Bokar, 50, +Anna Kozan
& Jo Anne Oberman
Janice M Krebs, 50, +Jane & Frank
Berkopec / Mary Hrovat
Mary Lou Bicknell, 89, +Mary
(Papish) Tomazin &Theresa
(Papish) Banich Rhoades
Julie A. Harback, 89,
+Steve & Theresa Kamnikar
Susan Byrne, 93,
+Anna Birsa-Sicinski &
Louise Horvat-Nasenbeny
Michele Quinn, 93, Educational
Grant +Albina Sloat
Anna Marie Uher, 99,
+Terezija & Anton Pristov
Cynthia Tanita, 100,
+Frances K. Kinkopf
Bonnie Lynn Pausic, 108,
Honor of Ann A. Pausic
$15 Donation
Milena Stropnik, 1, +Helena Dolenc
Marjorie Wilhelm, 1, SUA
Genevieve Buol, 2,
+my mom, Jennie Puhek
William Petric, 20, SUA
Amanda Blowers Zarobsky, 20,
+Nancy Todorovich Ferencik
William Rogina, 20, SUA
Hank Michalesko, 20,
+Elfrieda Herbst
Peter Papesh, 20, SUA
Theresa J. Papesh, 20, SUA
Dorothy Swintosky, 30, SUA
Ray Palcher, 35, +Rose Palcher
Mary Anne Kwiecinski, 35,
Cultural Grant +Mary Krebs &
Johanna Belay

Zarja - The Dawn

Helen E. Frohna, 43,
+Mici Coffelt, mother
Anton Gorenc, 43, SUA
Mary Ann Hozjan, 50,
+Francka Rigler, mother
Mary Mavec, 99, SUA
Anton Skamperle, 99,
+Suzanne Skamperle
$10 Donation
Melissa Tevsh Lacasse, 1,
+Joshep & Mary Tevsh
John M. Vertacic, 1,
+Mary M. Vertacic
Justin L. Virant, 1,
+Carol Virant Family
Marie Tiedmann, 2, +Mary Koscak
Verdean Adelman, 2,
+Mary Foys Lauretig
Julie Grah, 2, +Julia Petrich, Br. 2
Heather M. Bissell, 3, Educational
Grant +Sally Glavich
Valerie Sorensen, 3,
Educational Grant
Helen M. Baum, 3,
+Cecilia Adamic Kostka
Sue Ann Yovanovich PhD, 5,
+Fran Yovanovich
Frank Urankar, 10,
+Thomas J. Urankar
Florence Urankar, 10, SUA
Haley Benedict, 13, +Ann Nanut
Branch 13, Heritage Museum
+Dorris C. Lovrin
Mary Jane Strus, 16, Zarja
Dolores Hennelly, 16, +Millie James
Carole Terlep, 20, +Tom Terlep
Judy M. Hann, 20,
+Mary C. Tomasic
William Kobe, 20,
Educational Grant
Susan Glavan, 20, SUA

Mary C. Lewis, 20, +Anne Kobe
James Lilek, 20, SUA
Olga Feroni, 23, Educational Grant
MaryAnn Brunner, 24,
+Pohar Family
Gene Brunner, 24,
+Karl Brunner Family
Wendy Lauer, 24, +Janice Mueller
Marion Volpe, 30,
+Agnes & John Zornik
Sharon Kay Starkovich, 35,
+Agnes Zaverl
Robert Finc, 35, +Cyril Finc
Charlotte Russ, 35,
+Jennie Taramelli
Bernice Ceglar, 35, +Pauline Plevell
Gabriella Goritchan, 35,
+mother, Mary Peterka
William Grayson, 40, SUA
Rebecca Marie Kaye, 43,
+Mici Coffelt
Krista Grambow, 43,
+Ann Grambow
Katherina M. Kaye, 43,
+Mici Coffelt
Lillian M. Gorenc, 43, SUA
Rose Chepeck, 43, +Gus Ostrowski
Branch 43, +Ray Freiberg
Diane Varney, 50, +Jennie Fitzthum
Vida F. Habjan, 50, SUA
Rosemary Kalfas, 50,
+Christine (Basča) Duche
Mary Jane Hiti, 50,
Educational Grant
Margaret Kuhar, 50, SUA
Sharon Gillen, 50, +Ann Tercek
Judith and Christina Grozdanik, 50,
+William & Eleanore Grozdanik
(Vercek)
Joanne Ponikvar, 54, +Rose Racher
Virginia Bestic, 55,
+Frances Juvancic

Connie Dutkiewicz, 89,
+Ignatius Novak, Jr.
Christopher Banich, 89, SUA
Mary (Mitzi) Irene Banich , 89, SUA
Adam Banich, 89, SUA
Megan Rehn, 89, SUA
Jay Komater, 89, SUA
Lynn M. Zalokar, 93, +Marilyn
(Kovacic) Zalokar & Honor of
William Henry Zalokar
Milena Nemec, 93, +Mirko Nemec
Helene Kolosov, 99, +my parents
L. Maria Breszach, 99, SUA
Kristina Steller, 100, +Frank Kapel
Patricia A. Vannucci, 100,
+Barbara Petek Kozan
Mary Lou Vidergar, 100,
+Frank J. Vidergar
Michael Krulc, 108,
Educational Grant
Bernadette K. Fitzsimmons, 108,
+Eric A. Kovacic
Matthew Koncar, 109, SUA
Margaret Pryately, 109,
Honor of Dorothy Andrews
$5 Donation
JoAnn M. Udovich, 1,
+Joseph & Theresa Udovich
Joann Birsa, 3, SUA
Mary Babich, 20, SUA
Joseph Babich, 20, SUA
Michelle Zupan, 30,
Educational Grant
Gwendalynn Pasich, 30, SUA
Beverly Batic-Sciarrabba, 50,
+mother, Mary L. Batic
Nancy Terselic, 103, Cultural Grant
John Klansek, 108, Honor of Mary
Klansek, mother
Lucinda Soltesz, 109, SUA

Thank you for your generosity.
Many donations continue to arrive in the mail and will be listed in the next issue.

Bring in 3 new members and get yours FREE.

Complete the membership form on our website (slovenianunion.org) and submit with a $75 check or 3
separate $25 checks and send to 431 North Chicago Street, Joliet, IL 60432-1703.
If you already paid 2018 dues, we will defer for free 2019 membership.

Summer 2018

7

Let’s Sing! at the S.U.A. National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio!
Thursday, June 13, 2019 - Sunday, June 16, 2019
Marriott Cleveland East, Warrensville Heights, Ohio

Marriott Cleveland East.

We hope to see you all just one year from now, celebrating
our Slovenian heritage in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio! The
SUA National Convention will be held from Thursday,
June 13 through Sunday, June 16, 2019 at the Marriott
Cleveland East in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. Convention
festivities will begin on Thursday evening with a welcome
reception, and the four-day event will offer attendees the
chance to participate in SUA business meetings, a bus tour
of vibrant Cleveland, cultural learning sessions, delicious
meals, and plenty of time to dance, enjoy music, and honor the history of SUA and the traditions of our beautiful
Slovenian culture.
Our theme of Let’s Sing! sets the tone (no pun intended!)
for this convention, which is to be an exploration of Slovenian music throughout history. On Saturday, June 15,
attendees will have the unique opportunity to learn from
two experts on this topic - Charles
“Chuck” Debevec and Joe Valencic.
Charles F. Debevec Slovenian Music History to 1940

Squire’s Castle, an
1890’s structure on the
grounds of the North
Chagrin Reservation
in the Cleveland Metroparks.

He is a member of the Twin Cities Chapter (Branch 109)
of the SUA, KSKJ, the Society for Slovene Studies (SSS),
and the National Cleveland Style Polka Hall of Fame.
Charles has been interested in Slovenian polka and folk
music all of his adult life and has amassed a large collection
of related recordings, sheet music, newspaper clippings,
books, and magazines.
In 2003, Chuck began collaborating with Richard Terselic
of Frederick, Maryland, a member of SUA Branch 103.
Together they began collecting, preserving, digitizing,
and documenting 78 RPM recordings of Slovenian music.
They authored, co-authored, and contributed to several
articles on the subject which were published in Zarja, the
Slovenian American Times, the Journal of the Society for
Slovene Studies, and a number of books. In 2010, they
began collaborating with Dr. Drago Kunej of the Glasbenonarodopisni inštitut (Ethnomusicological Institute) of Ljubljana in a
study of pre-World War II recordings
made in the U.S. The study culminated in the publication of an issue of
Traditiones, a journal devoted to the
subject of Slovenian recorded music
for which Mr. Debevec contributed
an article tracing the history of its
development in America.

Charles F. Debevec was born of
Slovenian parentage and grew up
on dairy farms near the Slovenian
settlement of Willard, Wisconsin.
He moved to Minnesota in 1961
and attended the Brown Institute
of Broadcasting and Electronics in
Minneapolis. He then began employment at Control Data Corporation
where he worked as a failure analysis
engineer and supervisor. He also at- Charles “Chuck” Debevec will speak on the
tended the University of Minnesota. history of Slovenian music until 1940.
8

The Cleveland Botanical Gardens
is an ever-changing urban oasis.

Chuck’s other interests include
woodworking and growing vegetables on his acreage near Rush City,
Minnesota. He is further involved
at Sacred Heart Parish in Rush City
where he serves as an Extraordinary
Eucharistic Minister.

Zarja - The Dawn

Joe Valencic - Slovenian Music History 1941 to present

Joe Valencic will speak on the history of Slovenian
music from 1941 until the present.

skills as communications director of United Americans for
Slovenia, the nationwide lobbying effort for U.S. recognition of Slovenia’s independence. Joe can be heard every
Saturday as co-host of the Slovenian radio hour at 1:00
p.m. EST on Cleveland station WINT 101.5 and worldwide
on wintradio.org and 247PolkaHeaven.com.
We are so fortunate to have the chance to learn from the
research and knowledge of these two experts on Slovenian
music. All attendees are invited and encouraged to come to
these learning sessions on Saturday, a day that will begin
with an SUA business meeting and will end with a social
hour, banquet, and dancing. Perhaps we will all be able to
hear Slovenian music just a bit differently after learning
from Chuck and Joe!

Joe Valencic builds bridges between Slovenia and Slovenian-American communities through his writings,
presentations, and film projects. Fluent in Slovenian, Joe
is a frequent guest speaker in Slovenia, Italy, Austria, and
across the U.S. His themes include Slovenian-American
immigration history and popular culture. He is President
and a founding trustee of the National Cleveland-Style
Polka Hall and Museum, dedicated to Slovenian music in
America. He wrote the first profiles of Slovenian music in
America for the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History and
a documentary film, Polka! The Movie, for TV Slovenia.
His other documentaries include Many Voices, One Heart,
the story of a Slovenian-American parish, and 100% Slovenian: The Stories of Slovenian Women in America. New
York’s Lincoln Center Film Society invited Joe to introduce
“At the Crossroads,” a retrospective of Slovenian cinema.

For the ease of our attendees, all of Saturday’s events
will be held at Marriott Cleveland East, our convention
site. Marriott Cleveland East, in Warrensville Heights, is
conveniently located right off of the highway with easy
access to shopping and restaurants.

Joe has been called a cultural archeologist as he uncovers
Slovenian history in North America. Among his discoveries are the earliest-known Slovenian radio transcription
(1938) and the first talking film in Slovenia (1929). He
is a contributing writer to the Encyclopedia Britannica,
the Encyclopedia of Slovenia, and Slovenia’s Adria Airways magazine, among other publications.

The planning committee has worked hard to give all attendees a taste of the fantastic city of Cleveland, but there
is so much more to see and do. We encourage especially
first-time visitors to Cleveland to extend your stay and
take in some other incredible experiences - spend a day
exploring the Cleveland museums, including the famed
Cleveland Museum of Art (www.clevelandart.org) or the
renowned Cleveland Botanical Garden (www.cbgarden.
org). Enjoy animals from all over the globe at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Rainforest (https://clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo), or immerse yourself in the beauty
of the outdoors by exploring any of the trails within the
extensive Cleveland Metroparks system (https://clevelandmetroparks.com). See the majestic scale of Lake Erie on an
excursion with the Goodtime III (https://goodtimeiii.com),
or try your luck at the JACK Cleveland Casino (https://
www.jackentertainment.com/cleveland/). Cleveland truly
has something to offer for every age and interest. Come,
explore, and see firsthand why this is a city that so many
Slovenians are proud to call home.

His civic involvement includes many years of service as
President of the Cleveland Federation of Lodges of the
Slovene National Benefit Society (SNPJ) and a member
of the executive committee for the Cleveland Bicentennial
Commission and the city’s International Services Center.
His newest assignment is as a member of the advisory
committee to Slovenia’s Ministry for Slovenes Abroad
for which he represents Slovenians in the United States.
Joe is an award-winning advertising and marketing professional who has promoted personalities and institutions
as varied as Tiger Woods, Bob Dole, Wimbledon, Stars on
Ice, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He has produced
nearly one hundred TV and radio spots. He applied those

Summer 2018

Convention attendees will be able to book deluxe
standard rooms at the discounted convention rate of
$129.00 + taxes starting July 1, 2018. This is a great
rate available to conference attendees only! To make
your reservation, call (216) 378-9191 and mention that
you are with the “SUA Group.” Please make your plans
early to ensure that you can take advantage of the convention rate! Also, please note that dates extended beyond
the duration of the convention may not be eligible for the
convention rate.

9

Member Year
of the

Slovenian Union of America
MARILYN HENDRICKS

BRANCH 1 - SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN
When we think of
the phrase “Let Your
Slovenian Heritage
Shine,” our member
Marilyn Hendricks is
the name that comes
to mind, and she has
been chosen by our
branch to be honored
as Member of the Year.
Marilyn has been a
member of Branch
1 since September
20, 2005. During that
time, she has held the offices of treasurer and president.
She did an amazing job in coordinating the 90th anniversary
celebration of Branch 1 in 2016.

BARBARA GREENWOOD

BRANCH 3 - PUEBLO, COLORADO
Barbara (Gersick) Greenwood, a longtime, active member
of Branch 3 and the oldest of four children in the Stanley
and Mary (Giarratano) Gersick family, was born in Pueblo,
Colorado. Barb’s father, Stanley, worked in the steel mill
for 40 years and also owned a bar which catered to the
Slovenian steelworkers in Pueblo.
Barb’s Slovenian grandparents were Martin Gersick and
Catherine (Stepan) Gersick. Martin came to Pueblo at
the age of 20 and met Catherine at a dance at St. Mary’s
Church. Martin was from the Upper Carniola district of
present day Slovenia. His family had a hunting lodge and
restaurant near Lake Bled. Martin’s family was associated
with the military, and he immigrated to the United States after serving two years in the Austro-Hungarian army. Catherine was from the settlement of Dolnji Suhor pri Metliki
(Ravnace) in Lower Carniola. In her later years, Catherine
lived with Barb’s family, and Barb remembers learning to
make potica with her. Barb’s maternal grandparents were
Italian, and she has enjoyed the richness of the Slovenian
and Italian heritages throughout her life. She remembers
celebrating Saint Nicholas Day as a child by putting out
10

Marilyn and Bryan have been married for 30 years. Their
family consists of four children and one grandson. She has
been working at Quality State Oil in Sheboygan for 18
years as an HR manager. When she does find some spare
time, she enjoys crafts, fishing, travel, membership in the
SS Cyril & Methodius choir, and baking LOTS of poticas
for various events.
Marilyn’s parents were both members of SUA, and her
mother, Martha, was honored as member of the year in
2010. Marilyn’s daughter, Becky, is also a member of our
branch. Being proud of her Slovenian roots is very important to Marilyn, and this is apparent in her involvement
with the different activities at SS Cyril Methodius church
and also in Branch 1.
We would like to say “HVALA” to Marilyn for continuing
to be a part of our Slovenian family.
her shoes the night before the feast day and
waking up to find them
filled with candy, nuts,
and fruits. Barb also
has happy memories
of helping her mother
make potica and having it blessed on Holy
Saturday. Italian heritage memories include
making raviolis and
Italian cookies.
Barb has two sons,
Brad and Michael, and
one daughter, Megan. Megan is a member of Branch 3
along with many other relatives including sisters Angela
and Patti, cousins Betty Skul, Marge Cullen (current President) and Eileen Kaplan (current Vice President/Treasurer).
Barb is a regular at Branch 3 meetings and activities. She
lives in Colorado Springs and serves as a Eucharistic
Minister at St. Joseph’s Church.

Zarja - The Dawn

MAYDA POZEK GRAVELIE

BRANCH 5 - INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA
Our 2018 Member of the Year is Mayda Pozek Gravelie.
Mayda was born and lived in Ljubljana, Austria, now
Slovenia. She grew up during the war and then spent her
teenage years in a refugee camp. In 1950, Mayda arrived
in Indianapolis, Indiana with her parents and two brothers.
Sponsored by Holy Trinity Slovenian Catholic Church,
they were helped getting housing and jobs so they could
have a better life. While taking citizenship classes at
night school, Mayda attended a Christmas party and met
a Norwegian student, Trygue Gravelie, who was taking
English classes. They were wed in 1954, and have three
sons and one daughter who gave them seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren! They were married
58 years before Trygue’s death. One of Mayda’s favorite
memories is when Trygue and she bought property on the
Southside of Indianapolis, developed the land, named the
subdivision “Ljubljana,” and lived there on Gravelie Road!
Mayda loves to travel, read, and knit, but her favorites are

EILEEN PLESE

BRANCH 20 - JOLIET, ILLINOIS
Eileen joined Branch
20 in 1973 and has
been the chairwoman
of SUA’s “April Showers of Dollars” annual
fundraiser since 2017.
She has been active
in Branch 20’s annual
bakery sales and the
former Grape Harvest
Dances over the years.
Eileen is the youngest
of six children born
in Joliet to Slovenian
immigrant parents Andrew and Rose Hrvatin; Rose also was a member of Branch

MARLYS RABB

BRANCH 35 - AURORA, MINNESOTA
Marlys was born at home in Trommald, Minnesota into a
family of two daughters and three sons. Because of available employment, the family relocated to Aurora, Minnesota in 1955, where Marlys graduated from high school
and soon started her first job as secretary and then moved
on to the typing pool at Erie Mining Co. In the community,
she has volunteered on two federal censuses, has been an
election judge until 2017, has been a treasurer for All Slav
Association of Minnesota, and is still treasurer of the local
All Slav Club. In her parish, she taught catechism, typed
and mailed out bulletins, and counted money. That fits
well with her hobbies since she likes numbers and chal-

Summer 2018

gardening and cooking. Mayda and her
brother, John, cooked
a wonderful strukli
dinner for the Nash,
and most Fridays, you
can find the two of
them playing cards
at the Nash! Mayda
always has stories of
the many birds and
squirrels that frequent
her garden and the
unusual places that
flowers pop up from
the squirrels hiding the
seeds around her yard. Mayda is a wonderful Member of
the Year, and we thank her for her many contributions to
the Slovenian Community here in Indianapolis! Congratulations, Mayda!
20. Eileen graduated from St. Joseph Grade School and
from St. Francis Academy, both in Joliet. Eileen received
her childhood sacraments at St. Joseph Church and married
Walter Plese there in 1958. Walter, who passed away in
2007, was the youngest of eight children born to Croatian
immigrant parents. The couple had three children, eight
grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Eileen has been a
member of Holy Family parish in Shorewood for fifty-three
years, but has also been a member of St. Joseph parish the
past ten years; she supports both parishes equally.
Eileen’s hobbies include gardening; cooking and recipe-collecting; taking bus trips; playing sudoku and solitaire; attending church group luncheons; and visiting with
her grade school and high school friends. She has been a
waitress at the local VFW’s fish fries and has been a past
volunteer at St. Joseph Hospital, the Rialto Theater, and
the Daybreak Shelter, all in Joliet.
lenges. Marlys likes number and jigsaw puzzles and likes
to read, preferring the
bestsellers.
Marlys and Steve have
four children: Patricia, Steven, Jeff, and
Kristine, four grandchildren and one greatgrand son. When Steve
retired, they planned
a month-long trip to
Europe to visit their
son in The Hague and
11

Marlys continued... other points of interest. When leaving Budapest, they took a train to Ljubljana and visited with Si-

monich and Potocnik relatives. It was a once in a lifetime trip full of wonderful memories, but they were happy to be
back home. Marlys Rabb acknowledges that she doesn’t have a drop of Slovenian blood, but when she met her future
husband Steve, she became acquainted with Slovenian food and traditions. Since they celebrated their 60th wedding
anniversary last year, she has had many years of Slovenian culture. Marlys joined the SUA in 1991 and has held various
office positions and is always a willing participant in all branch endeavors. In the past years, she has also attended two
SUA National Conventions. Branch 35 is proud to honor Marlys as our Member of the Year.

LINDA & DAVE ABSETAR

BRANCH 43 - MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
Linda and Dave Abstetar, both members of Branch 43 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are second generation Slovenian
Americans. They have one son, Matthew, and the three are
proud 100% Slovenians. Their grandparents all immigrated
to the United States in the early 1900s. Linda is proud to
say that her maternal grandmother, Elsie Valencich, was
a member of a SWUA Branch in Milwaukee, and her paternal grandmother, Meri (Rozman) Kebl, was a member
of Branch 102 in Willard, Wisconsin.
Linda likes to cook Slovenian dishes, and is an accomplished maker of potica with Dave’s assistance. They both
enjoy spending time making strudelj and struklji, and Dave
especially enjoys making and smoking Krajnske klobase.
They are listed as helpers with the publishing of SUA’s
The Slovenian-American Table.
Linda is Sergeant-at-Arms for Branch 43 and also branch
liaison to Milwaukee’s United Slovenians to preserve our
Ethnic Heritage (U.S.P.E.H.), an umbrella organization for
eight Slovenian groups. She enjoys wearing her nardona
noša for events such as the International Holiday Folk Fair

SUSAN A. TERSELIC

BRANCH 103 - WASHINGTON D.C.
At the March meeting
of Branch 103, Susan A. Terselic Eckert
was selected as Person
of the Year. With the
exception of a short
break while living in
Africa, she is a lifelong SWUA/SUA
member.
Born in Cleveland,
Ohio in the mid-1960s,
Susan moved to Maryland with her family. As a high school senior, she completed a work-study program in Slovenia. She graduated with
honors from the Pennsylvania State University. Her degree
was in economic geography. She received a SWUSF grant
to assist her studies and privately took Slovenian language
12

and various Slovenian
gatherings.
In his profession as a
sign maker, Dave has
designed and produced
banners, buttons, and
signage, especially for
SUA’s 2011 National
Convention held in
Milwaukee. He has
also designed and produced several backdrops and signs for the
Slovenian booth at the many holiday folk fairs. Recently,
Dave and Linda assisted member Jackie Smith in creating
a Slovenian bingo game to play occasionally at the branch
meetings. Dave is past president of the New Berlin Lions
Club and has received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award
for his support of the Lions Club International Foundation.
Linda and Dave are busy but are finding time to play in
a local balina league this summer. Branch 43 is proud to
honor this special couple for their support of so many
Slovenian activities.
lessons from a Penn State faculty member. With a goal of
working as an international Christian missionary, she went
on to a program at the Columbia Bible College, Columbia,
South Carolina. While there she met her future husband,
Timothy Eckert.
For about 20 years, Tim and Susan ministered in Niger
West Africa to tribes living in rural areas. They achieved
their goal of establishing a group of churches whose administration was assumed by the local believers themselves.
During that time, they were blessed with seven children.
Returning to America, Susan and her family settled in
the Hershey, Pennsylvania area. She joined the faculty of
the Hershey campus of the Lancaster Mennonite School
(LMS). She teaches computer science and music. She
completed an on-line master’s degree in education since
joining LMS with help from an award from SWUSF.
Susan has maintained a lifelong interest in Slovenian
culture.

Zarja - The Dawn

Eva PEtrič

BRANCH 93 - NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Artist. Photographer. Performer. Writer. Filmmaker. Composer. Poet. Slovenian. These are just some of the many
titles you could give Eva Petrič. To us in Branch 93, she is
all of these things, but she is also our Member of the Year.
This extraordinary, inspiring woman is a pivotal member
of our Slovenian community in New York and Brooklyn.
This year, Eva’s work has connected us and brought us
together; it has reignited our passion for Slovenian culture
and opened our eyes to the success of our people in the
often overwhelming melting pot of New York.
Not only do we see her at every event (that is, when she isn’t
flying between her three homes around the world!), but also
she is always willing to lend a hand when asked. Her most
recent contribution to our branch has been her invaluable
help in organizing our latest endeavor - the “Professionals
Happy Hour” - which aims to connect Slovenians working
in New York, broaden our networks, and provide an avenue
to celebrate our Slovenian heritage. Eva’s inspirational
and elegant exhibition at the Galerie Mourlot served as
the home of our kick-off event, and we left feeling proud,

MARY ANN SETNICKER

BRANCH 109 - TWIN CITIES OF MINNESOTA
Mary Ann has been
active since our founding in 2005. Serving
as treasurer for the TC
Slovenians under three
presidents, Mary Ann
has shown impeccable attention to detail.
Current TCS President
Mike Koski calls her a
“passionate volunteer who is always ready to help at our
monthly meetings and at the Festival of Nations” where
she has worked every year since 2007. Mary Ann humbly
states that it is just her second nature to help when needed.
She has attended the last three national conventions and is
now our National Representative to the SUA. Named after
her fraternal grandmother, Marija Markoveč Koroseč and
her parents, Alvin and Rose Koroshec, both Slovenian as
well, Mary Ann is proud to say she is 100% Slovenian. In
BRANCH 102 - WILLARD, WISCONSON
Member of the Year is… the entire membership of Branch
102! We feel blessed that our branch from Willard has 36
members and that several are third or fourth generation
members. While many members do not live in the Willard
area, they continue to show support for the Slovenian
Union of America and Branch 102 by paying annual dues

Summer 2018

contemplative, and invigorated.
We want to thank Eva,
as well as ALL our
incredible members,
for their contributions
to our event calendar
this year. Your hard
work and dedication
does not go unnoticed.
More about Eva: Eva
lives between New
York (where much of her work is exhibited), Vienna
(where she studied) and Ljubljana (where her family and
photography lab is located). Her artistic success has been
astronomical, with her work being shown in over 40 solo
and 60 group exhibitions across the world. She has been
selected for the Beijing International Art Biennale (2012,
2015, 2017), nominated for the Venice Art Biennale (2013,
2015), and has won countless awards in France, Austria.
and Slovenia. www.evapetric.com

fact, she was enrolled in the SWUA one month after her
birth and has been a member ever since.
Cheerleader Mary Ann and athlete Norm Setnicker met as
high schoolers at the hockey rink across the street from her
family home. They wed seven years later and have been
married for fifty-four years. Mary Ann loves to spoil their
four children and seven grandchildren with her Slovenian
cooking, her love of Slovenian music, and her many childhood stories about growing up in Gilbert.
An officer in the White Bear Lake Business and Professional Women’s Club in 1978, Mary Ann was proud to be
elected the first female president of the WBL Area Chamber
of Commerce in 1987. In 1989, US Bank honored her with
its Community First Volunteer Award. She is an enthusiastic sports fan of NCAA women’s gymnastics, high school
hockey, and Minnesota Twins baseball. Mary Ann golfs
and bowls in her spare time. Congratulations, Mary Ann,
for being such a strong member of Branch 109.
and keeping in touch with each other. There is a core group
from the central Wisconsin area who regularly attends
meetings and makes decisions for the entire branch. Those
members are appreciated for their dedication to Slovenian
culture and history. Regardless of where our members
live, all are being honored this year for being part of an
organization devoted to preserving Slovenian heritage!
13

The Medved’s departing Spittal for America. In front are
Frank Jr., John, Bernadine, Kristine, Miro, and Albin.
Their parents John and Kristina standing behind them.

Iron Range

Medveds

By Staff Writer David Sodac
Branch 89 Oglesby, IL bdsodac@gmail.com

Frank and Miro Medved, former residents of Pineville/Biwabik, Minnesota, have been
on the presentation “circuit”
sharing a slide presentation and
compelling narrative of what it
was like in Slovenia at the end
of WWII. Frank was nine years
old, and Miro was just three
years of age when their family
of six escaped out of Slovenia.
They share glimpses of their
five years in a resettlement
camp and adjustment to life in
America on the Iron Range of
northeastern Minnesota.
14

DP Camp in Spittal

Zarja - The Dawn

In their narrative, Frank and Miro recalled that in the early
days of May 1945, two of their uncles, Engelbert and Ivo
Medved, came to their town of Trboje, Slovenia with the
news that Russian armies were invading from the South.
It was a critical time for families to make life or death
decisions. Their family had already suffered greatly since
the onset of the war. Frank and Miro’s grandparents were
expelled from their homestead but escaped to Čatež pod
Zaplazom with their three daughters and youngest son. A
Nazi German was appointed mayor, and his family moved
into their beloved home. Uncle Slavko and his wife Monika
were deported to Germany. Uncle Mirko was killed as a
hostage by the Germans on October 28, 1942. Uncle Boris
was killed on May 12, 1945 in a firefight with the Germans.
There was no question that it was time to leave. Their father
borrowed two horses and a wagon from a farmer, loaded
it with supplies, and trekked north with the family toward
Ljubelj Pass on May 5, 1945. It took four grueling days
for them to cross the pass and reach Vetrinje, Austria to the
safety of a British occupation zone. Most of the arriving
escapees, as well as the Medved family, figured it would be
only for a few weeks and then they could get back home.
The stay there wouldn’t be for just a short time as hoped;
it would be stretched almost to five years.
The refugees were eventually resettled into a displaced
person (DP) camp in Spittal, Austria. Spittal had been a

former Nazi German prisoner-of-war camp that had been
bombed and liberated by the Allied Forces at the end of the
war. The Medved family settled into the camp and made
the most of their refugee experience. They were assigned
a cramped 10 ft. x 15 ft. former horse quarters inside barracks No. 18. A survival instinct prevailed throughout the
Spittal camp, and the displaced families endured until the
day they could be permitted their freedom. A meager life
was carved out of the former POW camp. Gardens were
planted, barracks were “remodeled” to become family
homes, a chapel was crafted out of an evacuated truck
garage, school classrooms were established, and additional
children would be born. Kristina and then John were born
to the Medveds while in camp. In 1948, the camp refugees
finally began to be issued visas to resettle in South America.
It wasn’t until November of 1949 that the Medved family
received word that they had been sponsored by sisters,
Theresa, Mary, and Anne Gillach, of Pineville, Minnesota
USA. They were approved to leave and receive visas for
travel. Handcrafted wooden trunks were jammed with what
little belongings the family had remaining, and the trunks
were stenciled with the USA destination. The Medveds
were finally going to America and freedom.
David Setniker wrote, “Leaving the camps for asylum
to these unknown foreign lands provided heartbreaking
personal vignettes. The camps had become places of so-

DP Barracks #18, Medveds shared home for 5 years.

Summer 2018

15

lace, friendship and a place of birth… the camps began
to empty, and lorries (trucks) would take them to the train
station for the trip to Bremerhaven, Germany where they
would board ships for America. Leaving the camps was
bittersweet. They had left behind four years of anxiety,
bitter disappointments, and good and sad memories. They
knew the transition from refugee to free person would
not be easy. Their abiding belief in their Catholic faith
provided support.”

David Setniker wrote, “Most of the displaced persons
(DPs) knew no one… but they didn’t need to. The Slovenes
of the first migration to the Range in the early 1900s and
the next generation opened their hearts and their wallets
to sponsor freedom for their Slovene sisters and brothers.
They, along with the Catholic Church, provided the strong
ethnic and cultural bedrock for these newcomers of this
final Slovenian resettlement. They knew what it was like.
Now it was time to give back. Here are some of the local sponsors and the Slovene families they sponsored in
some of the small, neighboring mining towns in St. Louis
County, Minnesota:
The Gillach sisters Mary, Theresa, and Anne (Pineville)
sponsored the Medved, Krulc, and Vidmar families; Fr.
John Dolšina (Gilbert) sponsored the Gruden and Skrbec
families; Martin Stepan (Gilbert) sponsored the Bajda family (Elcor/Gilbert). The Perčič family had originally been
sponsored by a farmer in Arkansas, but when it didn’t work
out, the family requested a transfer to Pineville, Minnesota.
They were housed in the building co-owned in Biwabik
by brother and sister, Martin Sever and Louise Nisen. Fr.
John Dolšina’s younger brother, Fr. Stanley Dolšina, later
came to the Duluth Diocese.

Medved’s homemade wooden shipping trunk.

At the time most of the Minnesota Iron Range DPs were
arriving, Congress had already enacted Public Law 774,
the Displaced Persons Act. To emigrate to the U.S., a
Displaced Person needed a sponsor who would arrange
for housing and employment which could not supplant an
American worker. That’s quite the commitment from any
individual! Among the numerous restrictions imposed by
this law, the act stipulated that only applicants who had
been in resettlement camps by the end of 1945 would be
eligible for American visas. Refugees were aided by a variety of religious and ethnic social service agencies, who
would ensure that the admitted refugees would not become
“public charges” and that they, the agencies, would help
oversee the resettlement of the refugees. Among these relief
organizations were the National Catholic Welfare Council,
the National Lutheran Council, the Church World Service,
and the United Service for New Americans.
16

The migration was much bigger than the five or six
Slovenian families that had settled in Biwabik, Elcor,
Belgrade, and Pineville. Slovenian families also arrived
in the neighboring cities of Gilbert, Eveleth, Aurora, and
other cities on the Iron Range. These towns already had
earlier settlements of Slovenian immigrants who had
willingly opened their pocketbooks and dipped into their
savings to become sponsors of these displaced persons.
The local mining industry offered plenty of employment
opportunities, so jobs could be promised. Existing Slovene
families also were quite adept at stretching living spaces
to accommodate housing of the families.

Therese and Mary with Vidmar, Krulc, Perčič,
and Medved families they sponsored.

Zarja - The Dawn

On November 19, 1949, the Medved family was ushered
from Spittal onto a train headed for the Port of Bremerhaven, Germany where they then boarded the USAT General
Sturgis, a US Army troop transport ship. A stormy November blew across the North Atlantic, stretching the normal
six-day trip into a ten-day crossing. The ship would finally
dock in Boston Harbor at 6:00 am, November 29, 1949.
By mid-afternoon the family had cleared Immigration and
Customs and was transported to the railroad station by bus.
They were met by a representative of the LCSA (League
of Catholic Slovenian Americans), a branch of the NCWC
(National Catholic Welfare Council). The representative
loaned their family $50 for the journey. They departed
from Boston for Chicago around 8:00 pm that same day.
By the time the train chugged its way into Chicago, it
was already late into the evening of the following day.
They spent the night sleeping on the hard wooden train
station benches. Departure was early the next morning.
The Medved family members were the only DPs aboard
this train. The train weaved its way through the Midwest
dairy lands of Wisconsin, stopping frequently at every
small, rural town along the way to pick up the 40 quart
cans of milk from local dairies. It was referred to as the
“milk train.” Frank recalled that it took an eternity to
reach Minnesota. Along the way, the family was provided
sandwiches to eat. He remembered almost throwing up
while eating the sandwiches as he wasn’t used to all the
rich condiments like mayonnaise and mustard. When the
train finally approached Duluth, Minnesota it passed by a
billboard featuring a loaf of Master Bread, just what Frank
was desiring! Plain, basic bread with no condiments!
From Duluth, the family was picked up by limousines that
were provided by the local funeral homes and from there
were driven the sixty remaining
miles to a small settlement area
called Pineville. They finally
arrived and were warmly greeted by their American sponsors,
Theresa and Mary Gillach. The
two unmarried sisters owned the
building that once was a tavern,
a store, and a post office. The
sisters lived upstairs, while the
Medved family of eight would
inhabit what must have seemed
like a very spacious downstairs
after five years in the barracks
of Spittal. Frank remembers the
apartment had a big open space
with embossed metal ceilings
and walls and a large “round
oak” wood stove in the center.

Summer 2018

The Krulc and Vidmar families were also sponsored by
the generous Gillach sisters and arrived a little later. They
lived in a nearby vacant store building about twice the
size of the Gillach house. It had multiple apartments in the
upstairs and the lower (store) level was divided into two
apartments. Frank Medved Sr. was given a position as the
groundskeeper at the home of the mining superintendent,
a far cry from being a proud storeowner in Slovenia.
Since it was early December, Frank, Albin, Bernarda, Miro,
and other newly arrived Slovene students would be prepped
in English during the weeks leading up to the start of the
second semester of school in nearby Biwabik. There was no
such thing as ESL (English as a Second Language) offered
back in those days, so a few of the teachers volunteered
to work with the new students after regular school hours.
Frank recalls that Mrs. Oberstar worked with them on a
whirlwind mini course on the English language, consisting
of oral reading practice using the Dick and Jane primer
books. Frank was eventually placed in the eighth grade at
Horace Mann High School to start the beginning of second
semester. He laughed that his first English assignment was
to read Dickens’ David Copperfield. That’s quite the jump
from “Look Dick, look… see Jane?”
When the spring of 1950 arrived, the Medveds added
onto the Gillach building, with a two-story addition with
bathrooms. Later came the chicken coop and barn for the
Medved cows, Dimka and Liska.
Adjusting and acceptance on the Iron Range had its occasional hiccups. Setniker addressed some of those issues
in his article on the Iron Range Slovenes: “Despite the
apparent comfort of an existing Iron Range Slovenian
community, the refugees did encounter adjustment difficulNew home after arriving
in Pineville, Minnesota.

17

ties, particularly in the schools. The term label “DP” was organize, produce, assemble and mail out the newsletters.
defined politically through U.S. legislation entitled “Dis- The recipients paid 15c per copy, which barely covered
placed Persons Act of 1948.” While it was an accurate defi- the cost of mimeographing the copies.
nition, it became a pejorative with negative connotations
to many in the Slovenian refugee community. It was, and Each of the Frank Sr. and Kristina Medved’s six chilstill is, a very sensitive subject to the current Slovene com- dren were successful and became contributing American
munity. Instances of labeling and ignorance reared their citizens. Frank (wife Mary Catherine) was an engineer,
ugly heads in the schools
Albin (wife Albina) a lawas “Commie,” “dirty pig,”
yer, Bernadine an educator,
“Go back where you came
Miro (wife Karen) a busifrom,” and other bullying
ness entrepreneur, Kristina
epithets echoing throughout
a consumer research execthe halls of learning and
utive, and John worked in
the red ore streets of the
construction and restoration.
Range. Political correctness
They have given back their
and sensitivity had not yet
gratitude to the people of
reached the Range.” Miro
the Iron Range region and
Medved was quoted, “Yes,
to all of Minnesota in so
there were pranks and taunts.
many positive ways. Frank,
Some of us took them better
Albin, Bernarda, Miro, John,
than others, but we kept our
and Kristina (deceased) have
heads down and didn’t take
all been members of SUA
the bait. We just wanted to fit
Branch 109 in the Twin Citin… just like everyone else.”
ies, Minnesota. Frank, AlFrank shared that overall he
bin, Miro, and John continue
felt accepted, but there was
some friendly razing about Albin and Frank mimeographing newsletter.
his spoken English, which somehow took on a Dickens to find ways of
quality, probably influenced by his first required novel that actively staying
happened to be David Copperfield.
connected to
their Slovenian
Having lived under the restrictive and meager war condi- roots through
tions in the refugee camps for almost five years, people their dedicated
become close to those with whom they shared that ex- involvement in
perience. Now in America, at first the Medved children their very active
were initially preoccupied with becoming assimilated S U A B r a n c h .
into their school and community. They didn’t have time Miro and his
to be lonely. Then the reality of their former life and kin- wife Karen have
dled friendships eventually made them a little homesick. hosted over 50
Frank and his family had developed many close friends Branch members
during those years and would occasionally hear from them at their home for joyous Martinovanje celebrations in
through letters. It was comforting to know they were safe November along with summer picnics. They even have a
and adjusting to their new lives in America and Canada, balina court in their backyard, handy for branch tournabut they still missed them. He and Albin decided to take ments. Frank elaborately and authentically dresses up as
on the task of organizing a newsletter, Minnesotski Zvon, St. Nicholas and pays a visit to the children. He has also
to keep everybody connected. They obtained lists of po- co-taught year-long Slovenian language classes for several
tential subscribers from friends of parents and relatives years now. Frank and Miro have both been on the board of
that had settled in different parts of US and Canada. Then the lodge. Frank, Miro, Karen, and John are all members
the word spread, and they heard from other DP families in of a Twin Cities Slovenian singing group, The BriNotes.
Europe and Australia. They typed stencils and printed off Miro has been awarded the title of Honorary Slovenian
mimeograph copies using the school’s machine. Eventually Consul for Minnesota. Miro and Frank share their famithe boys received a simple mimeograph machine to use ly’s story with the traveling exhibition of pull-up banners,
from a donor. The membership grew to over 400 people. Farmers, Miners, and Refugees: Slovenian Migration to
Finally, the boys were joined by friends on Saturdays to Minnesota from 1855.
18

Zarja - The Dawn

The Medved’s desire
to continue
past connections carries
over to their
own family as
well. Family
reunions are
scheduled every Olympic
Albin and Bina (Bajda) Medved in costume year, alternatfor the Traveling Exhibition.
ing between
Canada and the United States. Then in 2004, the reunion
was held at the family homestead in Podkum, Slovenia
with 150 relatives joining in. Platform floors were erected
with canopied awnings in order to accommodate the large
numbers of family on the acreage of the original Medved
homestead. The Lojze Slak Orchestra provided the dancing music, and all of the Medveds danced energetically,
talked endlessly, and sang Slovenian folk songs until early
in the morning. The next reunion in 2008 was again held
in Slovenia.
David Setnicker grew up attending school with Kristina
and John Medved as well as several other Slovenian children who, along with their parents and families, immigrated as Displaced Persons during and following WWII to the
Iron Range area. They attended school in the same little
mining community of Biwabik in northeast Minnesota. He
wrote an enlightening and well-appreciated article in 2016

entitled “Climb Every Mountain – Iron Range Slovenes:
Stories of Escape and Resettlement” for the Hometown
Focus newspaper published in Virginia, Minnesota. With
the permission of the newspaper and of David Setniker, we
have incorporated some excerpts for this story.

Frank and wife, Mary Catherine, dancing in Slovenia.

From left to right: Bernadine, Miro, Frank, John, Kristina, and Albin.

Summer 2018

19

Postscripts on Louis Adamic

By Carole Rogel (Poiree) PhD , Branch 50 Euclid, OH

Carole Rogel (Poiree) PhD shared some wonderful,
personal postscripts on the recent Adamic article that
appeared in the 2018 Spring Edition of Zarja. Dr. Rogel
is Professor Emeritus of History at Ohio State University.
She shared her family’s personal connection with the Louis
Adamic family. Louis Adamic was characterized as an
explorer of the ethnic diversity of the American society.
He turned into an avid collector of immigrants’ personal
reminiscences, regardless of their nationality. In 1940,
he featured these memoirs in his book titled From Many
Lands. The book won Adamic the John Anisfield Award
as “the most significant book of 1940 on race relations in
the contemporary world.” The only Slovenian gentleman
featured in his book happened to be the grandfather of
Carole Rogel, Anton Kmet. Anton’s memoirs were entitled
“The Old Alien by the Kitchen Window.” Dr. Rogel has
also authored numerous publications; her most recent
publication is entitled Historical Dictionary of Slovenia
(3rd edition) 2018. Her family’s experiences with Louis
Adamic are printed here with her permission.
~ David Sodac, Zarja Staff writer.
My father, Janko Rogelj, and
Louis Adamic were good
friends. I am not sure when their
friendship began, but I know
it was before 1940, the year
Adamic’s book, From Many
Lands was published. The book
that profiled immigrants from
various countries included the
piece “Old Alien by the Kitchen
Window.” That “alien” was the
only Slovene featured in the
book; he was Anton Kmet, my
maternal grandfather. I am even mentioned in the piece (I
was one year old at the time). That same story was published with grandpa’s photo in the Saturday Evening Post.
During the early 1940s Adamic, my father, and many Slovenes living in the States were deeply engaged in trying
to understand what was happening to Yugoslavia and, of
course, the Slovenes in particular. I don’t remember ever
meeting Adamic; perhaps he came to dinner when he was
at a gathering in Cleveland. But I cannot be sure.
After the world war ended, my father and Adamic were
among the first Slovenes to visit Yugoslavia (1949). I
remember as a 10-year-old with my mother seeing my
father board a train in Cleveland bound for New York City
where he would get his trans-Atlantic flight. My mother
and I were both crying; we thought we would never see
him again. My father made a second trip in 1951, loaded
down with gifts, mostly money, that Clevelanders asked
him to pass on to relatives in the old country.
20

In 1951, Adamic died,
very likely murdered
by Communist thugs.
My father and John
Blatnik, a Minnesota
Slovene who served
in the U.S. Congress
from his state, hurried
to Milford, New Jersey where Adamic had
been found dead and
his property set afire.
(In 1990 I attended an
event in Washington,
DC when Slovenia
was moving toward
independence. There
I met John Blatnik, by
then retired, and he sat
Anton Kmet
me down and related
this story. When he and my father arrived in Milford, the
fire was still smoldering, Adamic was lying in a bed with a
rifle across his body. Both Blatnik and my father concluded
that from the way the rifle was positioned, the death could
not have been a suicide).
In the early 1960s I was attending Graduate School at
Columbia University, focusing on Eastern European History. I lived in a women’s graduate student dormitory. Just
before going to Cleveland for Christmas and anxious to
pick up my mail, I volunteered to help stuff mail boxes.
To my shock, I saw a number of letters addressed to Stella
Adamic. Could it be? Of course, how many Stella Adamics
could there be? So I rushed to her room. Sure enough, it
was Louis’ widow. She was getting a library degree so that
she could get a job in Connecticut. After the holidays, we
had dinner together several times. She wrote my father and
sent him a reissue of Louis’ book Dynamite. Only a few
months after she left for Connecticut, the New York Times
carried her obituary. She had died of peritonitis, probably
related to the leg injury that had required she use crutches
already when she lived in our dormitory.
After Louis’ death, various Slovene groups established a
Memorial Fund so that Princeton University could purchase
and archive Louis’ papers. I remember that the collecting
of funds ($5,000) took some time, but eventually Princeton
got the papers. Meanwhile Louis had been buried in New
Jersey, his grave marked only by the US Army marker that
war veterans are entitled to. The memorial fund mentioned
above had some extra money. It was decided to provide
an appropriate gravestone. At the time, since I was still
in New York, my father asked if I could go to Milford. A
friend from eastern Pennsylvania drove me to the cemetery,
where we met with a funeral director. We arranged for the
current marker, identifying him as an “American Author
and Journalist of Slovenian Ancestry.”

Zarja - The Dawn

Windish Slovenes in Bethlehem Pennsylvania

By Rich Terselic

A friend recently shared a link to a video entitled Slovenes
in Bethlehem filmed in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and
produced by Slovenia-based MPN Studio from Murska
Sobota. In addition to documenting the early 1900s Slovene immigration to Bethlehem, the video describes how
the ethnic identities of Slovenes were taken from them.
I’ll describe how this happened later in the article.
I was born and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. If I met
someone with a European-sounding name and asked
him “What are you?,” I wouldn’t have expected him to
provide me a technical answer like “a creation of God,”
“a homo sapien,” “a male or female,” “an American citizen,” or “a resident of Cleveland.” The answer I expected
was of what ethnic heritage he considered himself to be.
Many of the people with whom I came in contact in the
1940s-50s were immigrants who had left Europe before
the world wars when areas that are now independent
countries were parts of the Hapsburg/Austro-Hungarian
Empire. My grandfather, Franc Terselic, immigrated in
the early 1900s and identified himself at Ellis Island as
Austrian. This answer was prompted since his village
outside Brezice was under Austrian control when he left.
However, he was of 100% Slovenian heritage. Franc
wasn’t unusual in identifying himself as Austrian, and
many other Slovenian immigrants listed themselves as
Italian or Hungarian, depending on the place they had
lived. As a result, US censuses undercounted numbers of
people of Slovenian heritage.
Now back to the situation in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
In the early 1900s, the city was bustling with industrial
activity centered on steelmaking and metalworking. Jobs
aplenty were available. Word traveled back to Europe,
and immigrants were attracted. For unclear reasons, the
Bethlehem area became attractive to people living in the
eastern part of what is now the Prekmurje region of Slovenia, as well as the adjoining areas in current Hungary
and Croatia. The area had been under the control of the
Kingdom of Hungary. The Roman Catholic and Lutheran
faiths were practiced there.

Prompted by his inability to answer his son’s question,
“Why are we Windish?,” Slovenian heritage Bethlehem
resident Stephen Antalics undertook a nine-year study.
While traveling on numerous trips across Europe, he
accumulated documents, conducted interviews, and engaged in study seeking to explain the origin of the Windish naming. By the mid-1990s, he had enough information to offer an explanation. He concluded that since the
early 1900s Hungarian government officials, wishing to
retain the loyalty and identification of Slovenes in Bethlehem to their Hungarian Empire heritage, intentionally
and successfully created and promoted the Windish identity. In successfully doing so, they denied the Slovenian
residents of Bethlehem an awareness of their correct cultural identity.
Antalics brought his findings to the attention of government officials in Prekmurje, and an agreement was
reached on establishing a sister city relationship between
the largest city there, Murska Sobota, and Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania. Annual celebrations are held and funds
raised to pay the costs of bringing students from Prekmurje to Bethlehem for educational/cultural exchange
visits. A more important impact of the efforts of Antalics
was a freeing of the original Slovene immigrants and subsequent generations from their identification as Windish.
While Antalics had well-meaning intentions in disclosing
the deception prompted by the Hungarian officials, some
Slovenians in the Bethlehem community who grew to
value their Windish identities were offended and communicated that to him.
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, where large numbers of Slovenians worshipped, has been closed at the order of the local bishop. As a product of an appeal to the
Vatican, it is allowed to open on special occasions. The
closing was a consequence of greatly decreased parish
membership as well as the shortage of priests. Numerous
other European ethnic parishes across America have also
closed for similar reasons.

For reasons only explained in the 1990s, the Slovenian
immigrants to the Bethlehem area were referred to as
Windish. The word had German roots - in the German
word Wendisch. Interestingly, the word has a pejorative
meaning in Slovenia. Slovene Lutherans in Bethlehem
initially attended a German Lutheran parish. Later, St.
John’s Windish Evangelical Lutheran Church was established. Shortly after construction began at St. John’s, construction of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church began.

Summer 2018

21

Slovenian
Union of America

Across America - Branch Reports
BRANCH 1 - Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Established 1926
Contact information: Mary Ann Schellinger
920.457.7946/rhmas@yahoo.com
SS. Cyril & Methodius (SSCM) is the Slovenian parish in
Sheboygan. On Palm Sunday, the SSCM Fellowship Group
hosted a luncheon and bake sale with the proceeds going
to the SSCM Scholarship Fund. Most of the members of
Branch 1 are members of the parish and were very busy
baking poticas and other baked goods and also helping
at the luncheon. Over 90 poticas and 28 bags of flancati
were sold. A variety of food was available for purchase:
ham sandwiches, Kranjske klobase, potato salad, beans,
and the famous “Pink Tea.”
On Holy Saturday, a traditional blessing of food took place
at SSCM. The Vertacic and Grabner families were among
the participants who brought in their “basket of goodies”
for the blessing and noted that the whole church was filled
with the smells of sweets and Kranjske klobase. It was nice
to hear that the amount of people attending (over 70) has
been increasing each year.
In getting ready for our Easter dinner with family, I dyed
our eggs according to the instructions in the Spring 2018
issue of Zarja. I used a shiraz red wine and the purple color
of the eggs was a beautiful contrast to the white uncolored
eggs that were on our table. These were displayed with the
butare that I purchased from Big Bouquet Florist in Ohio.
Reflecting on our past, I think our grandparents and
parents would be quite proud of the present generation as
we are trying to keep their traditions alive and striving to
“Let our Slovenian Heritage Shine.”
MARY ANN SCHELLINGER
BRANCH 2 - Chicago, Illinois
Established 1926
Contact Information: Judy Stoll 708.479.2864
I had thought that when it was time to write this Zarja
report that my winter clothes would be put away! This has
really been a difficult spring, hasn’t it? But on one of the
few nice days, we had our spring meeting at Portillos’. Ten
members enjoyed the lively conversation, good food, and
some tasty homemade potica.
22

The big topic, of course, was our annual Zveza Day picnic
on July 15. The food is awesome, the prizes are amazing,
and the music makes you want to dance! So bring your
family and friends to “the Hill” in Lemont and partake in
our only fundraiser. By the way, raffle tickets and an information flyer will be sent to you in June, and remember
that our profit is donated to various charities.
Meta Hanzlik and Gen Buol will be joining the SUA group
hosted by Bonnie Prokup and Debbie Pohar that will be
touring Slovenia in June. I’m sure they’ll come home with
many exciting memories to share with us.
The membership report for Branch 2 shows that we have
112 members. (The 2017 count was 121.) A summary
shows that 11 members are 90 years or older, 23 are 80+,
15 are 70+, 12 are 60+, 11 are 50+, 6 are 20+, and 14 are
juniors. Let’s keep all of our members, first responders,
and those in the military in our prayers.
JUDY STOLL
BRANCH 3 - Pueblo, Colorado
Established 1926
Contact Information: Annette Charron
719.569.7125/amtcharron@gmail.com
Branch 3’s February meeting was cancelled due to a
snowstorm, but the weather has been unseasonably warm
since then. The March meeting featured a pizza party for
members. A new member, Linda Justice, was introduced
to the group. Betty Skul brought the mystery gift. Chaplain Marie Mutz led a memorial for Frances Ondovcich, a
longtime branch member who recently passed away.
The April meeting’s hostess was Robin Secora who served
delicious cupcakes. Branch 3 member Annette Charron
was recently named Vice President of Outreach for SUA’s
National Board of Directors. She attended the annual board
meeting in Joliet in late March and gave a report on the
member representative meeting that was held on March
24. Annette encouraged members to consider attending
SUA’s national convention to be held in Cleveland, Ohio
in June 2019.
The annual Member of the Year luncheon was held on
Tuesday, May 1, at Park East restaurant, and Barbara
Gersick Greenwood was honored. Branch 3 does not hold

Zarja - The Dawn

meetings during the summer months, so our next meeting
will be on Tuesday, October 2 at 12:30 p.m. in St. Mary’s
church hall. All are welcome to attend!
ANNETTE SABO CHARRON
& BARBARA KARLINGER
BRANCH 5 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Established 1927
A new home for the Holy Trinity Bells: On March 14,
2018, the bells from the steeple at the former parish of
Holy Trinity were removed. Prior to and since the closing
of Holy Trinity here in Indianapolis in November 2014, the
local KSKJ Lodge of St. Al’s has been working to secure
items from the parish that held historical and emotional
value for the Slovenian community. Among these items
were the set of three bronze bells that were housed in the
steeple for 111 years. Reluctantly, and nearly a year after
the initial petition was received by the former pastor, the
ownership of the bells was finally granted to St. Al’s. Since
that time, efforts have been underway to find a new home
for the bells where they would be used and appreciated.
St. Malachy parish in Brownsburg, Indiana has many
families with ties to the Slovenian community and to Holy
Trinity. Our pastor, Father Vince Lampert, is a son of Holy
Trinity and attended grade school there, so obviously,
Father Vince knows quite well the circumstances of his
childhood parish and faith community. St. Malachy is a
very old parish dating back to 1869 and is now in its third
church building. With its Holy Trinity connections and lack
of parish bells, St. Malachy parish seemed extraordinarily
positioned to become the new home for Holy Trinity’s

bells. Father Vince agreed, and efforts were underway to
complete the first step in their relocation.
The process was long and thorough, but eventually the
bells were removed from Holy Trinity. The costs associated with the design engineering, masonry repairs, gantry
system, scaffolding, crane, and trucking expenses would
need to be funded. With the help of one benefactor family
from St. Malachy parish and St. Al’s #52 KSKJ Lodge, the

Summer 2018

costs for the initial step for the bell relocation were handled.
On March 14, 2018 the bells were removed, secured on a
flat-bed truck, and on their way to the Verdin Bell Company
in Cincinnati for restoration.
The bells of Holy Trinity rang proudly in the steeple for
more than a century. Cast in Cincinnati in 1907, the bells
were named for local lodges at the time and the new parish
of Holy Trinity. The smallest bell is named for St. Joseph.
It is 32” high and weighs 600 lbs. The St. Aloysius bell is
the medium-sized bell and is 37” high, weighing approximately 900 lbs. The largest bell of the three – the Holy

Trinity bell – is 46” high and is estimated to weigh about
2500 lbs. The bells cost $1,189 back in 1907 and today
would cost about $60,000 if newly cast. All three bells have
their names inscribed on them in Slovenian.
With fundraising and parish support at St. Malachy, it is
hopeful the bells will be ringing one day soon in Hendricks
County. Discussion about plans for the relocated bells from
Holy Trinity is just beginning. Anyone wishing to make a
donation to support this effort is encouraged to send their
donations here: Bell Relocation Fund, St. Malachy Parish,
9833 E. County Road 750 North, Brownsburg, IN 46112.
Please consider making a donation for the bell tower,
perhaps in honor of your Slovenian family name. Help
keep the Slovenian spirit ringing as the Holy Trinity bells
find a new home!
MARY, KAREN & PHYLLIS
23

BRANCH 13 - San Francisco, California
BRANCH 20 - Joliet, Illinois
Established 1927
Established 1928
Contact Information: Michele Twers
Contact Information: Georgene Agnich
michele.twers@comcast.net
773.205.1326/jamesschaible1469@att.net
Hello to all from San Francisco. Spring has sprung in We offer our condolences to the family of member Diane
Northern California, everything is lush green, and blooms
are popping up all over. The fire-ravaged areas in Northern
California are in full recovery mode from the devastating
wild fires that hit Northern California last October 2017,
but there is still much work to be done. We will be forever grateful to the first responders who saved lives and
property.
Our monthly meetings are still continuing with only the
officers present. Many of the members live out of the San
Francisco area, and also due to age and health reasons they
cannot attend. I would like to mention that our longtime
member and auditor Virginia Sustarich has been unable to
attend due to health reasons, but Virginia continues to do Officers: January 21 installation of officers (left to right):
her job and check our records. We truly miss her presence, Jean Herbst, Auditor; Sandra Kehring, Sergeant-At-Arms;
Mary Kay Demick, Auditor; Jeanne Warsaw, Vice President;
and our thoughts are always with her.
I would like to mention the passing of Donald P. Kambic Charlene Kobe, President; Diane Hohenwater, Secretary; Joon December 30, 2017. For those who remember Don, he sephine Lustik, Auditor; Nancy Horwath, Sergeant-At-Arms.
Fr. Tom Paul, Spiritual Advisor (seated) (Not pictured: Robyn
was born and raised on Potrero Hill in San Francisco. He Coyne, Treasurer).
was very active in the Slovenian community. Don was on
the board of directors of the Slovenian Progressive Home Kalcic, who passed away on March 15; to member Diane
and also a very active member in the E&D Club Slovenia Hohenwater in the loss of her mother-in-law, Mary Ann
before moving to San Diego. Don’s love for the Slovenian Hohenwater, on March 11; to member Louie Derlinga in
history and his heritage took him on the path to write the the loss of his brother, David Derlinga, on February 19;
book, The Slovenes of Northern California 1860-2001, and to member Sharon Hicks in the loss of her mother,
which was published in 2001. Don’s book was a huge Janice Cemeno, on March 24.
success with the Slovenians who lived in the San Francisco
Branch 20 honored Eileen Plese as its 2018 Member of
Bay area. In the book so many names were mentioned, and the Year on May 15 with a banquet at St. Joseph Church
there were photos of people that many of us recognized parish hall.
and/or are related to. As I sit here writing about Don, I must Our March 24-25 fundraiser bake sale and raffle were very
mention that his mother was Tillie Kambic and he was a successful. Thanks to the many members who brought
nephew of Mary Ansel; he was Betty Doherty’s brother, bakery to St. Joseph Church for sale before and after all the
and he was also cousin to Agnes Kurnick and Edyth Ansel. Masses both days, to those who bought bakery and raffle
These women were very active and strong supporters of tickets, to those who gave cash donations, and to those
Branch 13 for many years. Don is survived by his adopted who worked each day. Raffle winners were Mary Fran
son John Sucre, his sister Marie McHenry, and many cous- Smaron (first prize: potica); Rick Sarcletti (second prize:
ins, nieces and nephews.
apple strudel); John Churnovic
I would like to send birthday
(third prize: Easter wreath); and Jeff
wishes to all members who are
Frieders (fourth prize: bottle of Slocelebrating in April, May, and
venian wine). A big “thank-you” to
June. Also, get well wishes to
Josephine Lustik and Marla Lustik
anyone who is under the weather
for co-chairing this popular event.
and not doing well.
Plans are underway for Branch
Hope everyone had a wonderful
20’s 90th anniversary banquet to
Mother’s Day, and now we send
be held at St. Joseph Church parish
Happy Father’s Day wishes to
hall on Sunday, October 21.
all.
Summer is directly ahead of us.
GEORGENE AGNICH
Enjoy your summer barbeques
and outside activities in the sun. Bake Sale co-chairs Josephine Lustik and Marla
MICHELE TWERS Lustik are ready for customers on March 24.
24

Zarja - The Dawn

BRANCH 24 - LaSalle, Illinois
Established 1928
Contact Information: Diane Data
diane3121@comcast.net
Zivijo! This has been a long winter! As I am typing this
report in early April (the week after Easter) when I should
be thinking about spring clothes, spring cleaning and the
Cubs opening day. I’m watching the weatherman reporting
about snow tonight into tomorrow. This is not what I want
to hear as I am leaving on a pilgrimage trip to Italy in the
morning and do not want any airline delays.
Our branch has not met since December, so I have no
news of what we have been doing. Our first 2018 meeting
is April 19 when we will be discussing the need for new
officers. Our new president, Shirley Eide, will be offering
her suggestions for upcoming meetings, but officers will
be one of our main topics on the agenda. In reading other
branch reports, I see this same theme: low attendance at
meetings and requests for volunteers to help with branch
activities. As with so many other clubs/organizations, we
need younger active members to fill that gap from members
that have passed or are no longer active.
Another topic at our April meeting will be an update on
the construction of our Roadside Chapel. The fundraising
for the chapel was an outstanding success. Our membership
is anxious to see the completed chapel. It will truly be a
place to come and pray for our Slovenian souls.
I am the Member Representative for Branch 24; therefore,
I called in to the March National Board meeting. It was a
very exciting and enjoyable meeting. Our National Officers
have been busy. The board announced that some of them
would be travelling from Joliet, Illinois to Oglesby, Illinois
(some 70 miles) to attend the Branch 89 Slovene fest later
that day. I was so happy to see my friends Mary Lou and
Diane, as well as Norm, Annette, and Beverly. I enjoyed
listening to Norm and our member, Delores Spelich, talking
about Slovenians they both knew. I think I overheard that
they both may have been at the same dance in Minnesota
many years ago. Small world, indeed. Dober Dan!
DIANE DATA
BRANCH 35 - Aurora, Minnesota
Established 1929
John Robert Snidarich, Branch 35, Aurora, Minnesota,
was honored at a reception at the home of the Honorary
Consul of the Republic of Slovenia, Miro Medved, on the
occasion of Mr. Snidarich’s obtaining his dual Slovenian
citizenship. A delegation from Slovenia’s Chamber of
Commerce attended the administration of the oath at the
private dinner party. Branch 109’s Mary Ann and Norman
Setniker, whose cousin Marjan is a visiting member of the
Slovenian delegation, were also in attendance.
The Slovenian delegation was interested in wanting to
know why Slovenia is so important to Johnny; he got to
tell his story. They sang the Slovenian national anthem,

Summer 2018

toasted and “Zivijoooooed” many verses with wine glasses
clanking and “na zdravje” echoing throughout the Medved home. Although John hurt his back moving a piano,
with the aid of some wine and anti-inflammatory meds,

he and Karen Medved played three
Slovenian button
box pieces. John’s
playing convinced
the delegation of
his Slovene worthiness. John raved
about his love of
the good Slovenian
food and concluded his testimony
by telling about
the house in Slovenia that he plans
to remodel in his
retirement. John’s
wife videoed the ceremony with pride.
It is his hope that by acquiring dual citizenship, Mr. Snidarich can build a mutually beneficial relationship with the
country of his ancestors’ birth and give something of a lasting value back to the villages from whence his forefathers
came. As you can see from the pictures, Johnny not only
promotes his heritage in a grand way but also in a “baby”
grand way. Johnny gave John Luka Heinan (named after
his maternal great- and great-great grandfathers), age five
months, his first accordion lesson on April 5, 2018, at the
sixty-eighth birthday party of the “little” John’s grandfather, Joseph Gudel of San Jose, California. With Johnny
Snidarich, it’s all about living the legacy. Bravo!
(See John’ s biography on page 32 of this issue.)
25

BRANCH 43 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Established 1930
Contact Information: Jan Gehm
414.321.1413/twogames@wi.rr.com
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. Some of our
members met at Triglav Park on the day before Palm Sunday to make butare and on Palm Sunday brought them to
church to be blessed. Many Slovenes gathered at St John’s
for Mass wearing Narodna noša, some wearing red carnations and carrying butare as the Slovenian Choir sang the
beautiful hymns of that day. Many thanks to Helen Frohna
for making all the arrangements at the park and making
sure the necessary materials were available.
It is on a sad note that Palm Sunday was the last time the
Slovenian Choir would sing at Mass. I would like to personally thank all the current members and the other singers
who wanted to participate for this final time. Thank you to
all the choir members past and present for your support,
dedication, and attendance at rehearsals and Mass. We will
miss the beautiful and beloved hymns.
At our last two meetings we played Slovenian Bingo.
Jackie Smith, Regional President, got the idea from Branch
1 of Sheboygan. Jackie, and Linda and Dave Absteter
jointly made up the bingo cards and calling cards which
have Slovenian words, places and sayings, and had them
laminated. Many thanks for all the tedious and hard work
they did so that our branch could have a nice social time
after the meeting.
Mark your calendars for our picnic at Triglav Park on
August 5, 2018. Mass will be said at 11 a.m. with a delicious dinner available immediately following the Mass.
Watch the Zarja for more news about Martinovanje, which
will be held on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at the Root
River Center on So. Rawson Ave. just east of South 76
St. Plans are in the making now for an enjoyable evening.
Slovenian wine will be available.
Sincere sympathy is extended to the Freiberg Family
in the loss of beloved husband, father, and brother. Ray
passed away on February 22, 2018. He is survived by his
wife, Mary Cay, daughter Therese, and brother, Richard
and his wife Carrie. Ray and Mary Cay were both active
members of the branch. May he rest in peace.
Please consult the calendars mailed to you earlier about
dates of our future meetings and plan on attending. Enjoy
the carefree days of summer.
MARY “MICI” BREGANT

Our Saturday, September 15 luncheon will be at Glenwillow Grill at 29765 Pettibone Road in Solon. The Christmas
luncheon will be held at Lockkeepers at 8001 Rockside
Road in Valley View on Saturday, December 1. All meeting
times are at 1:00 p.m.
Members are encouraged to call Debbie at her home
at 330.467.2281, or email her at dcduris@gmail.com
to indicate you plan to attend. Contact me on my cell
330.730.8951, or email me at kjferrante@gmail.com to
share any branch information.
KATHLEEN FERRANTE
BRANCH 89 - Oglesby, Illinois
Established 1938
Contact Information: Barbara Bruch
815.339.2714/barbarabruch@yahoo.com
At our March meeting we had a real treat. Delores Spelich,
from across the river and Branch 24, came and brought the
bobbin lace that was made by her grandparents to share
with us. Delores is a wonderful storyteller, and we went
back through the years to see her grandparents making the
beautiful lace. Our member David Sodac wrote a great article about her family a few months ago. She also brought
a bottle of delicious sweet wine from Slovenia to share
with us. Thank you, Delores. We had a very good time.
We held our Slovenian Heritage Day the same day as a big
blizzard. At the last minute the snow stopped, and we had
a great time. By coincidence the SUA National Board was
meeting in Joliet at the same time, and five board members
were able to come. Mary Lou Volk won the door prize, a
bouquet of red carnations. We had new people come for the

BRANCH 47 - Garfield Heights, Ohio
Established 1931
Contact Information: Debbie Duris
330.467.2281/dcduris@gmail.com
Our branch members and those of other Cleveland
branches are busy planning and working on the next National Convention in June of 2019. It will be an event to
remember. We hope everyone is planning to attend.
26

Zarja - The Dawn

first time. Our
branch has a
Facebook page,
and it is amazing the responses we get from
it. Look for us
on Facebook!
It’s Slovenian
Union of America Branch 89.
Our members
have a good
time putting on
this event and
hope more people can come
next year. It is
always held
the Saturday
before Palm
Sunday. That
way if you win
the sausage or
potica, you can
keep it for Easter. A new addition this year
was fresh sausage made by
Jay Komater,
Mitzi Banich’s
brother. It was delicious, just like the smoked sausage.
A traditional Žegen meal was served at our April meeting.
Thank you, Alice and Jim Ebner for bringing all the food
and Jim’s homemade wine. We talked about what we can
do to improve attendance at meetings. Please pass along
any suggestions you have. We know how busy or far away
everyone is, but let us know what you think.
BARBARA BRUCH
BRANCH 93 - New York, New York
Established 1938; Reactivated February 14, 2004
Contact Information: Kathleen Simmonds
917.780.9412/kathleensimmo@gmail.com
After a very special Easter Mass at St. Cyril’s church
in NYC, Slovenian community members continued the
festivities in our church hall with music, laughter and, of
course, delicious traditional goodies - including ham and
potica. We even had the thrill of trying a COCONUT potica (absolutely delicious!) and receiving home-decorated
wooden Easter eggs from one of our beloved parishioners.
Thank you to Father Krizolog and all of the parishioners
that helped to organize such beautiful Cvetna nedelja and
Easter celebrations.

Summer 2018

Congratulations to member Gaia Visnar
who starred in
the world premiere of a new
original play!
“The Doorman” opened
at HB Playwrights Theatre in Chelsea on April
10. Alongside
Gaia, the international
creative team
included writer
and actor Zala
Djuric, director Oskar Kvaternik, and actors Grant Schumacher and Delil Baran. The event was highly supported
by our Slovenian community in New York who filled the
audience with their wonderful energy.
Our new Monthly Professionals Social Series has kicked
off with a bang! In fact, by the time this issue of Zarja is
released, we will have had three events! As well as providing us with a way to connect to other Slovenians living and
working in New York, these gatherings broaden our networks and allow us to celebrate our Slovenian heritage. For
our inaugural event, over 35 guests of SUA and Drustvo v
tujini izobrazenih Slovencev - VTIS (Association of Slovenians Educated Abroad) celebrated Slovenian National
Cultural Day at Galerie Mourlot. Here we were treated to
a beautiful and inspirational exhibition of our Branch 93
Member of the Year, Eva Petric’s, latest work. We are so
excited for this continuing endeavor and look forward to
seeing more and more Slovenian community members
at our Happy Hours. Remember, if you are a member of
another branch, please make sure you let us know if you
are passing through New York so we can invite you along!
KATHLEEN SIMMONDS

27

BRANCH 99 - Lemont, Illinois
Established 1940
Contact Information: Jana Hlade jmhlade@hotmail.com
Hello fellow branch members and hello summer! I am taking a little survey. Anyone interested in attending a culinary
class at the Slovenian Catholic Center in Lemont? If yes,
contact Bill Zerial or me, and let us know what kind of class
interests you. You can be specific (apple strudel) or general
(a main dish). Please let us know by July 1 so we can plan
a class. Bill: billzer@sbcglobal.net or 312.208.5683; Jana:
jmhlade@hotmail.com or 815.439.1905.
In April, the Slovenian Catholic Center hosted the Folklorna Skupina Kres dancers from Cleveland, Ohio. Branch
99 member Gloria Ekerman has a relative, Nathan Dreyer,
who is part of the group. Nathan has been dancing with
the group for four years. He began after his sister, Carolyn, insisted that the group needed more boys, and he has
been hooked ever since. He has made many good friends
and has become a part of the Slovenian community. This

summer, he has plans to travel to Slovenia with other
members who are graduating from high school this year.
Good luck Nathan!
A big congratulation to all members who are graduating
this year. Whether you are graduating from middle school,
high school, or college, we wish you the best of luck in
your future plans.
Watch your e-mail for any announcements, and have a
fun and safe Fourth of July! Enjoy your summer!
JANA HLADE
28

BRANCH 100 - Southern California
Established 1940
Contact Information: Jean Koci
949.495.0097/ajkoci@cox.net
Almost 20 members attended the bread baking class at the
home of Teresa Koci on Saturday, March 10. Lina Kerwick
shared her special recipe that we have all enjoyed whenever
she has brought it to a potluck or meeting. Not shown in
the photo were four male members who mostly came for
the food and camaraderie. I do have to say that our son,
Tim, in Reno received the recipe when Teresa sent it to him
via e-mail the next day and decided that he would give it
a try. He already makes a very good potica, so I think he
is serious. We all had a good time and enjoyed the soup
that Teresa had made for lunch along with other dishes that
we all brought to share. As usual, we all have a good time
getting together, and we thank Lina for demonstrating the
method and writing up the recipe and Teresa for hosting
this event. We also had time for a meeting.

It was decided that our Spring/Summer gathering would
be on June 9th at 11:30 at Centro Bosco Restaurant 13432
Central Ave, Chino. It is a Basque restaurant that serves
family style lunches at a reasonable price, $19.00. The
lunch includes soup, salad, bread, Basque omelets, bleu
cheese, pork chops, fried potatoes, and wine. This will also
be a community project time, and we will fill Ziploc bags
for the homeless. Members are asked to bring items to fill
the bags such as protein bars, snack packages, toothpaste,
toothbrushes, travel size items, water bottles, and socks.
RSVP to Teresa 949.363.1513 or cell: 949.246.1983 or
e-mail tkoci@cox.net. We hope to have a nice turnout for
this meeting, lunch and workshop. Hope to see many of
you there!
Those of you who will be traveling on the Slovenia
Tour, I hope you have a marvelous time and safe travels.
Srečno pot!
JEAN KOCI

Zarja - The Dawn

BRANCH 102 - Willard, Wisconsin
Established 1941
Contact Information: Candy Johnson
candyjohnson1718@gmail.com
Branch 102’s spring meeting was held on a lovely Saturday in March. It wasn’t too warm, and it wasn’t too cold.
It was just right. I wish I could say the same about the
weather today as I’m writing this report. It is April 3, and
it has been snowing ALL DAY!

Vice President Theresa Zorman ready to sell baked goods at
the Palm Sunday bake sale.

A regular part of our spring meeting is a bake sale in the
evening before and after church. It amazes me that eight
members can fill an eight-foot table with baked goods.
We have talented, generous bakers in our group! A big

Junior member, Sandy Brierton, in traditional Slovenian
costume with the Slovenian flag.

Summer 2018

THANK YOU goes to vice president Theresa Zorman for
working the bake sale. She does this every year, and it is
appreciated very much!
One of the recent traditions for our meetings is to have
wine. Ruth Zwieg is very good at remembering to bring
the wine. She thoughtfully brings both dry wine and sweet
wine, so our members can enjoy the type they prefer. This
time Ruth forgot a very important item - the corkscrew!
Ruth and Sue Pakiz googled “how to open a wine bottle
without a corkscrew” and tried several different methods
to no avail. Needless to say, we didn’t get to drink any of
the wine... this time. I’m betting this won’t happen again!
The best part of the meeting was junior member, Sandy
Brierton, dressed in the traditional Slovenian costume. She
wore it for the entire meeting. She looked ADORABLE!
Willard has a pretty robust activity calendar for a small
town. Here’s the calendar of events for 2018:
Polka Fest, June 15-17, Rummage Sale, June 15-16, Dairy
Breakfast hosted at the Yurkovich Farm, June 24, Druzba
Potluck, July 29, Holy Family Parish Bazaar and Chicken
Dinner, August 29, Settler’s Park Picnic, September 8, and
Branch 102 Fall Meeting, September 8. Join us for some
Slovenian hospitality!
CANDY JOHNSON
BRANCH 103 - Washington, DC
Established 1941
Other SUA branches probably share the Branch 103
problem of having aging members who live at considerable
distances from a central meeting location and don’t attend
branch events. Fortunately, the first Sunday Slovenian
language Mass, held at the Basilica of the Immaculate
Conception, provides an opportunity for branch members
who do travel to meet and share news.
One branch member no longer able to attend events is
Angela Daly, who celebrated her 100th birthday on November 3, 2017. (see photo) With the help of her daughter,
Kathy Ireland,
she previously was a regular attendee
at Masses and
branch events.
Angela was
born and raised
in Ely, Minnesota. She met
fellow Minnesotan, Paul
Daly, at a dance
in Ely while he
was working
with the Civil
Conservation
Corps. They
29

married in 1938 and moved to the Washington, DC area.
Paul was drafted into the US Army in 1944 and was in
Hawaii awaiting deployment at the time atomic bombs
were dropped on Japan. When the war ended, he served
in the occupation of Japan.
Angela began employment with the US Census Bureau in
1942 and worked there until retiring in 1973, completing
31 years. Angela was a founding member of the SWUA
Branch 103, under the leadership of Irene Odorizzi. Over
the years, Angela and family members were active participants in Slovenian activities in the Washington area.
She also remained in contact with her Minnesota heritage,
making periodic trips to her Ely home.
Angela has two children Kathy and Terry, five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
At the March 4 branch meeting, the previous slate of officers was reelected: Mary Lou Terselic, president, Ana Sonc
Jevtic, vice-president; Richard Terselic, secretary-treasurer.
Ana continues her Slovenian language teaching work,
training members of the US diplomatic corps slated for
duty tours in Slovenia.
RICHARD TERSELIC
BRANCH 108 - Olney, Maryland
Established 2003
Contact Information: Bernadette Fitzsimmons
bettekfitz@verizon.net
Branch 108 members met at the Hunan in Olney, Maryland in February to install new officers, to honor Slovenian Cultural Day, and to discuss traditions of Pust. In
honor of the occasion, Bernadette Fitzsimmons shared her
homemade krofi, which were enjoyed while discussing
the meaning of the traditional Kurent mask, and scaring
winter away to soon welcome spring. Tanja emphasized
that preparations for Pust carnivals start months ahead,
when people in smaller villages start making traditional
masks at home. We honored Cultural Day by reading the
poem “Zdravljica” by France Prešeren in English and then
together sang the Slovenian anthem in Slovenian. It was
nice to meet young Mila who attended the meeting with
her mom, Angela Krulc. Mila is practicing to become our
official branch event photographer in the future.
Branch 108 members are busily preparing for their booth
at The Embassy of Slovenia Open House to take place
on May 12. It is wonderful for us to live close enough to
Washington, DC to be able to participate in this big annual
DC event.
Our new Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Jack Siberski will celebrate
Slovenian Mass on Sunday, June 3 at 11:00 a.m. at the
Chapel of Our Lady of Brezje, located in the crypt level
of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, DC. Branch108 members and guests are all
invited to come and welcome Fr. Jack to his first Mass in
the Chapel of Our Lady of Brezje and to join the Slovenian
community for lunch afterwards. Fr. Jack is currently a pro30

fessor at Boston University and was highly recommended
as a successor by Fr. Peter Rozic following his appointment
as a Jesuit priest in Ljubljana for approximately 18 months.

Easter blessing of food in the Slovenian Chapel of Our Lady
of Brezje in Washington, DC: Thomas, Bernadette, Juliana
and Tim Fitzsimmons, and Nika Kovacic.

Understanding Slovenian Sayings by Bernadette:
Bog nas obvaruj prevelikega bogastva,
prevelike brhkote in revščine.
May God protect us from excess wealth,
attractiveness and poverty.
Kdor vztraja, uspeh osvaja.
Those who persevere, conquer success.
BERNADETTE FITZSIMMONS

Branch 108 members, Nika Kovacic, auditor; Bernadette
K. Fitzsimmons, president; Angela Krulc, treasurer; Tanja
Nelson, secretary and Mila.

Zarja - The Dawn

BRANCH 109 - Twin Cities (TC) of Minnesota
Established 2005
Contact Information: Elaine Barthelemy
elaineab@yahoo.com
Our March membership meeting had us all buzzing
when Brooke Sommerfeldt of the University of Minnesota
Bee Squad presented Helping People Help Bees. Brooke
discovered her interest in bees while doing research at
the University of Wisconsin-Stout and joined the Bee
Squad in 2016, at present assisting with research as well
as beekeeping.

Mary Jo Verschay, Josh Cardinal and Mike Cardinal
celebrate Josh’s internship.

Brooke Sommerfeldt talks about bees.

Brooke told us that beekeeping was depicted in cave
paintings, and honey was found in the pyramids. When
Father Francis Jager came to Minnesota from Slovenia in
1888 for a seminary program, he brought forty hives onto
Harriett Island and sold honey to build a church. Dejan
Židan, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia,
was instrumental in the United Nation’s declaration last
December that World Bee Day would be held annually
on May 20 to draw the attention of the global public to
the importance of preserving bees and other pollinators.
Slovenia is the only European Union Member State to have
protected its native bee, the Carniolan bee, famed for its
docility, hard work, humility, and excellent sense of orientation (qualities found in many Slovenian people as well).
One such hard worker is Josh Cardinal, son of TCS
members Mary Jo Verschay and Mike Cardinal. With the
goal of working in international development, Josh was
excited to have been accepted into a six-week summer
business internship in Slovenia. Previously, Josh had a
teaching internship in Taipei and has taught at an English
Academy in Moscow.
Our May membership meeting featured Bailey Peternell
who shared resources to help in planning a trip to Slovenia.
I was especially interested, as my sons and I are going
there in September with a special visit to Vrhnika where
my mother, Stephanie (nee Turk) Polutnik (Branch 40,
Lorain, Ohio), was born in 1918.
With a heavy heart, I share the sad news that my sweet
mother passed away on January 26 at 98 years of age,
three weeks after learning she had cancer. If you attended
the SUA Convention in Naperville in 2015 you might re-

Summer 2018

member her singing “God Bless America” at the opening
meeting and singing with button box player Vince Rigler
on that Saturday night. She was thrilled and humbled when
a photo of the two of them graced the cover of the August/
September 2015 Zarja and when staff writer David Sodac’s
beautiful article about her appeared in the November/
December 2015 issue.
Always happy and upbeat, Mom was a lifelong member
of the SUA, KSKJ, and AMLA. As a proud Slovenian,
she would have loved the send-off her family and friends
gave her. Ohio button box player Wayne Golob played
“Češčena si Marija” at the cemetery chapel as we all sang
in English and Slovenian. When Wayne played “Zaplula,”
one of Mom’s favorites to perform, the chapel rang with
singing, dancing and a big woohoo at the end. I know Mom
was smiling with that twinkle in her eyes.
ELAINE BARTHELEMY

Stephanie Polutnik and Elaine Barthelemy
at the 2015 SUA Convention.
31

John Robert Snidarich - Branch 35, Aurora, Minnesota
As John’s mother, Helen, simply states, “Johnny put
a lot of living into his fifty-four years.” Or, one might
say, John “squeezeboxed” a lot in his lifetime. John was
born on June 13, 1963 in Eveleth, Minnesota, where he
still resides on the family homestead. His grandparents
came to Eveleth in 1909-1910, the grandmother arriving a year after his grandfather. The family came from
the Bloke Plateau and Cerknica, where his cousins,
second and third removed, bearing surnames Intihar,
Znidersic, Zupancic, Zakrajsek, Zimperman, Erjavec,
and Rot still reside in Storovo, Morovno, and Ulaka.
At an early age, John was fascinated with past generations, who undertook epic journeys to travel to the United States from his grandparent’s homeland, displaying
resilience despite great physical, emotional, and social
barriers. John’s hobbies surround his penchant for perpetuating this heritage. He fulfilled his need for human
roots by keeping his Slovenian legacy alive in numerous
ways. John has made two trips to Slovenia to visit family
and was pleased to learn that the two-hundred-year old
home of his grandmother was still inhabited by a relative. John’s thirty years of genealogy research resulted
in his having documented extensive family history on
both of his parent’s branches going back to the 1600s.
John followed Slovenian customs when he married the
daughter of a Slovenian refugee in Holy Family Catholic Church, a Slovenian Catholic Church, in Eveleth,
Minnesota. The unveiling and greeting ceremonies as
well as the Slovenian reception feast featuring Slovenian
“spirits” were all in keeping with true Slovenian tradition.
The Snidarichs hosted an old fashioned picnic, started by
John’s father, at their family farm for twenty-one years, in an
effort to keep traditions alive. Guests dined on homemade
ethnic delicacies such as roast pig, lamb on the spit, booyah,
Krajnska klobasa, zelje with every variety of potica and
Slovenian sweets gracing the tables. Internationally known
musicians from all over the country attended and entertained at this annual event held the third Saturday of August.
John’s presence in the community is evident in his
work in addition to his leisure activities. Mr. Snidarich
has, for the past twenty-nine years, been owner and
manager of two family type restaurants, one in Virginia, Minnesota and the other in Wyoming, Minnesota.
Music and entertaining are John’s passions. He has
been a musician and band leader for forty years playing
ethnic Slovenian music on the button box accordion.
As a member of Resurrection Catholic Church in Eveleth, Minnesota, he is sought out by area churches
to accompany the liturgy with the polka Mass as well
as his most requested gesture of playing and singing
the traditional “Češčena si Marija” at a final farewell.
John is active in many organizations which promote preserving the Slovenian heritage. He was a member of the
32

John Snidarich with Honorary Consul of the
Republic of Slovenia, Miro Medved.

Range Polka Club from 1980 until the late 1990s, in addition
to the American Yugoslav Club #3 in Aurora, Minnesota.
As a member of the Slovenian Union of America, John
and his gracious wife opened their home to host the
SUA’s Advent party as well as its Christmas party. In
2015, he also chaired and emceed a highly successful
St. Nicholas Day Honor Event at St. Joseph’s Catholic
Church in Gilbert, Minnesota, followed by a reception at his farm, which is still talked about to this day.
From his youth, John assisted at All Slav picnics and
performed ethnic Slovene-style music at Hill Annex Days
in Calumet, Minnesota. As a member of the Musician’s
Local for twelve years, John had an opportunity to meet
other talents who shared and grew his interest in the music
brought to this country from the old. Being a radio announcer for twenty-five years, John hosted popular shows
that featured all nationalities of music, thus sustaining
this genre and introducing it to the younger generation.
John’s ethnic music programs were aired six days a week
on WHLB in Virginia, Minnesota, WEVE, KRBT in
Eveleth, Minnesota, and WNMT in Hibbing, Minnesota.
Producing his own CD, Johnny Snidarich and the Bohunks,
is just one of John’s accomplishments as a recording
artist. He has assisted three other groups in recording
Slovenian American button accordion music; John Snidarich is a local icon. His face and voice are familiar to
almost everyone, and wherever John goes, he carries the
“-ich” on his last name with great pride. His personalized
license plates, “Kranjec,” proclaim to world who he is.

Zarja - The Dawn

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