DUROVIC, Milenko (William) (Bill) - It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Milenko (Bill) Durovic at the Humber River Regional Hospital in North York on Tuesday January 28, 2020, at the age of 94.
Milenko is survived by his loving and dedicated wife Branka, daughters Mirjana (Bude) Smiljanic with Radomir (Jovana) & Danica, daughter Radmila (Goran) Radosavljevic with Maya & Jana, and his son Milan Michael.
Cherished Brother in law to Vlada & Milena Misich and Uncle to Bob (Kim) Misich and Ljiljana (Ernest) Douthwright.
He is predeceased by parents Srecko & Ljubica, sister Radmila and brother Rade.
Milenko was born in the mountainous region of Guca, Serbia on February 11, 1925. After being a soldier in WWII following the Chetnik movement, he came to Canada in 1948. He first lived in Montreal where he got a Science degree in Chemistry and later in 1951 he came to Toronto, where he spent the rest of his life. During his residence in Toronto he had a successful dry cleaning business for over 50 years.
He worked tirelessly to preserve is culture, which was extremely important to him, through his publication Bratsvo Fraternity and the Serbian Radio Program Ravna Gora on CHIN Radio, which aired in 1972. He belonged to many organizations to promote and preserve Serbian Heritage; Serbian National Defence, Serbian Brothers Help, Ravna Gora Chetniks Movement, and the Unity Congress- to name a few. He also, sang in the St Sava choir for decades. It is through the SOCA choir festival that he met his wife Branka in Detroit in 1957.
He raised his three children in the Serbian tradition by sending them to Sunday school to learn cyrillic, St. Sava camp (Shadeland) in Pennsylvania and insisting they joined folklore, church choir, tamburica ensemble and even a theatre group. It was very important that the family never forgot where we came from, even though we were all living in Canada.
He loved his family, friends, and Kumovi and touched them all with his unforgettable warmth, wisdom and humour. He cared about everyone and loved to give advice. To know him was to love him. He was an outstanding Patriarch to the Durovic and extended families. He was tough but fair and we all learned invaluable lessons from him.
As the dignified gentlemen that he was, he deserves to be remembered as a great Serb, strong member of the community and an outstanding human being. Gone but never forgotten. We are all proud to have called him our friend, Kum, father, uncle, and grandfather.
Memory Eternal. Vjecnaja Pamjat
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