Emily Kruljac

Emily Kruljac, age 95, of Phoenix Arizona, passed away on Monday, January 20, 2025, at her home surrounded by loving family who adored her so. She was born September 20, 1929, in San Francisco, CA to the late Lucile & Walter Markham.

A celebration of Emily’s life will be held at 11am, Friday, February 21, 2025 at Cattletrack Arts Compound, 6105 N Cattletrack Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85250. Lunch reception to follow. Please let us know if you will join us for the Celebration of Life by texting or emailing Teri Kruljac (303-717-6370, [email protected]).

Emily (“Mickey”) spent her early childhood in San Francisco and Carmel, CA, forging a lifelong love of the ocean, before moving to a cattle ranch in awe inspiring Corral de Tierra (Steinbeck country) outside of Salinas, CA, where being the eldest of the three Markham sisters, she thrived in ranch life riding horses, and tending to other livestock. A true cowgirl, she grew up quickly on the ranch, learning to drive the hay truck in her early teens, and taking to other countless tasks required on the ranch. From her mother, she developed a profound love of music and of learning, and excelled in math and science. After graduating high school at age 16, she attended Stephens College in Missouri before transferring to the University of Arizona (UA) in Tucson, AZ where she met her future husband Edward Kruljac, who was also attending the UA on the GI bill after World War II. Edward & Emily’s bond was immediate and they shared a mutual desire to have a large family, so they went to the Justice of the Peace with witnesses they had never met before, and were married just weeks after meeting. They would have nine children together over the next fourteen years.

Early in their marriage, Edward & Emily experienced financial challenges as their young family grew, another baby arriving every 12-24 months, but their commitment to providing a loving home to their children never wavered. Edward found a good job in Phoenix in 1960, and the Kruljacs would make Arizona their home state for the remainder of their lives. Emily, a true matriarch, was the rock of the family, providing calm in life’s every storm, and devoting her unconditional love to her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She radiated joy and fulfillment when hosting family events, vacations to the beach, ranch, or the cabin in the pines in Munds Park. Always championing new experience, Emily constantly scrimped and saved in order to send one of her children or grandchildren off on an adventure all their own.

Her spirit experienced divine moments, rejoicing in the beauty of creation, often hiking solo in the desert, and among the colors of autumn leaves, but she revered most the sunsets on the beach in Del Mar, CA. In the past 10 years she filled her innate desire and need to “keep on moving” by riding her customized three wheeled recumbent bike through the neighborhood, greeting everyone she encountered with a wave and her wide beaming smile exclaiming, “aren’t we lucky?!”, to which the reply was inevitably, “we sure are!”. On these rides she would acknowledge all of God’s living creatures, the majesty of the trees, and singular beauty of clouds and sky. She was immensely grateful for these rides, drives in the car with one of her children, and being able to still make it to the beach nearly every year of her life. She appreciated and fought for both her mental and physical acuity every single day, and deeply felt the love and blessings from her large family until her final moments on Earth.

Although Emily’s physical presence may no longer grace our lives, her indomitably positive spirit will continue to uplift us and brighten our days. May her memory be a blessing, and may we carry forth her legacy of unconditional love and support in all that we do.

Emily was preceded in death by her parents, Lucile & Walter, her husband of 63 years, Edward, beloved daughter, Carrie, treasured granddaughter, Emily, and beautiful sister, Lillian Godbe.

She is survived (in chronological order) by her dear sister, Ann Cress, devoted children - Ned, Mark, Eric, Kim, Kirsten Ross, Jon (Teri), Jay (JoAnne), and Mary, cherished grandchildren - Edward III (Megan), Kelly, Chance (Molly), Casey Rehling (Erin), Meghan Borch-Christensen (Bo), Ian, Mack, Sophia Boutsikakis, Claire, Mateo (Nelle), Charlie (Madeline), Katharine Ross, and JJ, and 14 delightful great grandchildren.