Ivanica (Ivanka, Ivana) Slavica Beram, nee Prorokovic. Eldest child of Jure Prorokovic and Simica Prorokovic (nee Kapovic), Born in the village of Nin, Dalmatia, Croatia on June 21, 1933. Died in White Rock BC on July 8, 2017.
As a young mother, Ivanka was faced with a stark choice. Seize a momentary chance to escape Communist Yugoslavia with her young husband and the infant child she held, or return to the poverty of a Dalmatian village where her other two sons, aged 3 and 5 awaited her return. She chose to stay. Better to keep her 3 boys together than to risk losing two to save one. Yet, happily, within 2 years all of them would leave their hard life to immigrate to a strange, cold, distant place called Toronto, where she was reunited with her beloved husband Janko Beram. Together, they built lives for themselves, their family and an ensuing stream of family and friends from the old country who followed them and were supported by them.
Ivanka was born 7 years before the second world war settled grimly upon the Adriatic coast of Croatia. At age 7 she was taken from school forever. Instead, as she would say, she learned “to work”. In stony fields, toiling alongside her father, tending flocks, minding her siblings and meeting the daily challenges of survival. Her character was strong. Stoic, persistent and devoted to her family and to her work. In Canada, she found work in factories, and industrial places where she formed life long friendships with other immigrant women from around the world, who like her, arrived in Canada as refugees seeking only a fair chance to live a good life.
Her devotion was rewarded. Ivanka leaves behind her Sons, Krsevan (Chris) Beram, (deceased) and Joanne Beram, their children Eric, and Dana of Toronto; Ivan (John) and Kelly Beram, their children Candice (Mike), Kyle (Jasmina) and Jonathan (Jamie); great grandson Cameron Birch and John’s new spouse Jane Oram of Alliston, Orangeville, London Ontario and Halifax; Branimir (Ron) Beram and Luisa Lazzarotto, their children Victoria and Janko Beram of White Rock, Prince George and Vancouver. She also leaves extended families throughout Canada including those of nephews Victor Beram (Katica), Branimir Cosic (Mila) as well as Ivan Beram (Jovanka), and many others who were touched with her generosity and support.
Predeceased by her beloved husband Janko in 1987 and then, by her eldest son Chris in 1997, Ivanka never lost her will to live and her devotion to her family friends and neighbours. She lived on in their house on Windsor Rd in Rexdale in their company. She continued to work at Faster Linen Services until a well deserved retirement at age 65, marked with a fond farewell from the Halberstadt family. In 2014 she moved away only reluctantly and to the sorrow of her dear friend and neighbour John Ricci, due to her declining health. She came out west to spend the past 3 years to be cared for in her final years as diabetes related illness took its toll.
Baba, as she was known to her grandkids and their friends, provided great support, comfort and guidance to them all. She is remembered for her hard nose and her soft heart. Her stern advice and her profound wisdom. Often unintentionally hilarious, her words of advice, caution, encouragement and sometimes, menace in thickly accented English charmed generations and a wide circle. A circle ever widening even after her departure… “…could be verst”
Her family wishes to thank the friends, staff and residents of Westminster House for their boundless aid, their love and assistance during the final phase of her life, and to Father June for administering last rights.
Ivanka's ashes will be interred Saturday the 7th of October, 2017 at Assumption Catholic Cemetery, 6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga. The Funeral service will begin at 1:30 pm at the cemetery Chapel, to be followed by a memorial at the reception centre.
In lieu of flowers, we suggest a donation to the Canadian Diabetes Association or to the Red Cross for the benefit of Refugee settlement programs in Canada in her name. Condolences for the family may be left at www.victoryfuneralcentre.ca
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