Matek, Tadija passed away in peace on the 10th of March 2019 in his 89th year. He is survived by his loving wife, Marija and his brother Martin and sister Mira. He will be greatly missed by his nieces and nephews who adored their fun-loving uncle. Tadija had an extraordinary life, from the his daring escape of the communist Yugoslavia, to his adventures in Western Canada building pipelines, to becoming a successful builder in Vancouver and finally a published author in his later years. Whatever task Tadija took on he did it with integrity and a commitment to be the best he could be. A voracious reader in life, he loved learning new things and those that had the pleasure of conversing with him will remember what a great conversationalist he was, regardless of the topic. His sense of humor and his sharp wit delighted anyone he interacted with and made Tadija a welcome guest at any social occasion. Tadija was a pillar of the Croatian community in Vancouver and spent his life as an advocate of a free and independent Croatia. He made it a lifelong pledge to do his part to foster a strong and vibrant Croatian community in Vancouver that would be proud of its heritage. Regardless of the many interests and commitments that Tadija had throughout his life, the most important to him was his family. His fist and last thoughts were always with his family and he will be remembered for the unwavering love and support he showed them. A viewing will be held at the Bell Funeral Chapel located at 4276 Hastings St. Burnaby BC on Friday the 22nd of March from 6-8 pm. The Service will be held at The Croatian Catholic Church located at 3105 E. 1st Ave. Vancouver BC at 12:00 pm on Saturday the 23rd of March. A celebration of life will follow at in the hall at the church after the service. The burial will take place in the Croatia at the new cemetery in Starigrad-Paklenica.
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