Jovanka (“Joka”) Nenadic (nee Katic), 96, of Schererville, passed away peacefully on 17 June 2025 with her family at her side.
Joka was proceded in death by husband Uros, father Stanko, mother Bozica, brothers Bosko (Danka), Ilija (Tina) and Milos (Mara) Katic and sister, Masa Pajcin (Jovo). Joka is survived by daughter Sylvia (Michael) Ivetich, son Nick, cherished grandchildren Misha (fiance Justin Hering) and Stevan (Nikolina) Ivetich; nephews Pete, Marco, Stan, Bosko and Eli Katic and niece Betsy Katic, including extended family members and Kumovi in Europe, Canada and the US.
Joka was born in Kazanci, Bosnia, Yugoslavia in 1928, daughter of a farmer who also owned a local water-powered grain mill. Before the Second World War, life was not easy but peaceful and healthy.
During the Second World War, Joka escaped invasions by foreign enemy armies, early on from Croatian Ustasha, German and Italian forces. Joka and her family were staunch “Royalist” supporters of King Peter II of Yugoslavia. In 1942, her three brothers joined local Chetnik commanders to resist oppression and genocide. Royalist forces in Yugoslavia were associated with General Draza Mihailovich in Serbia. As in other parts of Yugoslavia, some locals in her village began to support communist ideology and were now enemies. Because of the family’s Royalist orientation and activities, her father was imprisoned, tortured and executed by communist Partisans in 1943.
After her father was killed, she and her mother were also targeted by Partisans. One day, they were warned by a sympathetic neighbor that Partisans were coming for them that night. Joka fled with one brother and her mother, trekking over the Dinara Mountain range in the dark and down into Dalmatia where they joined other large numbers of Royalist resistance forces. She never returned home again.
After the end of the Second World War, Joka and her family found themselves in displaced person camps in Italy and Germany from 1945 to 1951. The camps were administered by Allied occupation forces. Life was difficult in Italy and Germany; many times they lacked essential needs. Joka married husband Uros in Eboli, Italy in February, 1947. He was also a Royalist soldier she had met in pre-war Bosnia. Daughter Sylvia was born in Heiligenhafen, Germany. Joka and Uros were married for almost 75 years until his passing in 2021.
The family was accepted for immigration by USA sponsors and emigrated across the Atlantic on the US Liberty ship USNS General Harry Taylor in February 1951, landing on New York’s Ellis Island.
Shortly after arrival in the USA, the family settled in East Chicago, Indiana. Joka, worked for a brief period during the Korean War at the General American Plant in East Chicago where munitions were manufactured. Following that, son Nick was also born in East Chicago. She loved family get-togethers and specialized in making many different traditional dishes celebrating Slavas, religious and other events for family and friends over many years. Knitting and crocheting also occupied her spare time. Joka always took care of family as a dedicated wife and mother throughout her life and never forgot the hardships. She stayed close to many relatives and friends in the community that had experienced similar life-changing events. She cherished her grandchildren in whom she always took a special interest.
Joka was a member of St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in East Chicago. She was also a long-standing member of the Circle (Kolo) of Serbian Sisters in East Chicago.
Joka was laid to rest at the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois, following a private funeral; Very Reverend Marko Todorovich (Kum) from Cudahy, Wisconsin officiating. Forever in our hearts, Vjecnaja Pamjat; may your memory be eternal.
