Gordana Juracic

Gordana was born on April 22, 1938 in Zenica, Bosnia to Bisa and Drago Spasojevic. She was the youngest daughter of two. Her family survived World War Two while being separated and were able to reunite afterwards in Sarajevo. Tragically her father passed away unexpectedly when she was sixteen years old. She graduated from a preparatory high school for education, but then began working at the main post office in Sarajevo as a clerk, where she continued to work for the next thirty three years until her retirement. She married Vahid Lagumdzija and had her first daughter, Vesna in 1960. Although the marriage did not last, Gordana was fiercely dedicated to raising Vesna with the help of her mother Bisa. Gordana then met and married Nikola Juracic in 1973. Gordana welcomed her second daughter, Marina, in 1974. After her second divorce, Gordana continued to raise both of her daughters while working. She stayed in her beloved Sarajevo until October of 1994, when she decided to leave the raging war in Bosnia to join her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Kent, Ohio. Over the next twenty-nine years in America, Gordana became a citizen and eagerly voted Democratic in three presidential elections, spent her time helping take care of her three granddaughters, going on trips with her family, following her family when they moved to Michigan, visiting her daughter and granddaughter in Italy, taking care of the Srkalovic pets and getting to know all the family and friends who lovingly referred to her as “Bako”. Her health was declining in the recent years and she moved to the Medilodge of Okemos in February of this year, where she was a favorite due to feisty and fiercely independent nature.

Gordana was a skilled baker, cook and loved doing housework. She had a beautiful voice and often sang old Bosnian songs around the house and at the retirement home. Gordana was an avid reader, loved doing crossword puzzles and taking care of her dogs and cats. She loved plants and flowers and never missed an opportunity to stop and smell her favorite flower, lilacs, while out and about. Gordana also loved animals of all kinds and enjoyed going to the zoo and watching shows on Animal Planet. She was strong willed and always true to herself. Everything she did was with passion and determination. She fiercely loved her family and friends and will be truly missed by all who knew her.

Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters Vesna (Gordan) and Marina; four grandchildren, Iris (John), Ines, Maya and Sara; six great-grandchildren, Leah, Isaac, Ava, Elli, Nola and Caleb; and her beloved cats, Peanut and Arya; and cat grandchildren Luna, Cosmo and Roe; and her extended family, Gordan Topalovic and Milkica, Sanja, and Igor Stojevic;

She was preceded in death by her mother, Bisa; her father, Drago; her sister, Lenka; her previous husband, Vahid; her cats, Micko and Butter; and her dogs, Tina and Nina; and her extended family Jula and Veljeko Vukasinovic.

A memorial service is scheduled for 4PM Monday June 26, 2023 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home, 1730 E. Grand River Ave, East Lansing, Michigan, with visitation an hour prior. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Gordana’s life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Capital Area Humane Society at cahs-lansing.org. Condolences can be sent to [email protected]. The family would like to thank the caregivers at Medilodge of Okemos and Sparrow Hospice for their exceptional care.