Nikola Mirkovich, Jr. known to friends and family as “Nick,” passed away on July 11, 2018 at the age of 82. Born in Veli Rat, Croatia he was a naturalized and proud citizen of the USA and served his new country in the US Army assigned to special services. Representing the United States on the 2nd A/C Dragoons soccer team and winning the 1959 Battalion Level Championship. In 1960 he started his career in the seafood industry as a shrimper which eventually expanded to long-line commercial sword fishing and his own company that included four vessels. Nick served on the board of the Texas Shrimp Association for many years.
Having grown up on an island in the Adriatic Sea he fished both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans during his career and visited many countries in both North and South America in his ports of call. Nick was one of the first people to use sea-born ice making machines to preserve the fish products on the way to market.
His hobbies included building nautical models and playing poker. He played in the world series of poker in the last tournament held at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas before it was relocated to a larger venue.
He received many accolades in his life and one of the things he was most proud of was in July 1993 the U.S. Coast Guard awarded him with a commendation for his part in a rescue at sea while he captained the f/v Becky M. USCG contacted Nick, speaking multiple languages, who communicated with the Spanish speaking crew of f/v Isla de Mar to effect the rescue of the vessel during tropical storm Arlene.
Nick was a member of Stella Maris Catholic Church in Lamar, Texas for many years and also attended local services at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea in his home town of Aransas Pass, Texas.
Loved ones that will miss Nick until they meet again are his wife of 37 years Polly Mirkovich; his daughter Sindy Pfaab and husband George Pfaab, granddaughter Erika Pfaab and grandson Forrest Pfaab; his daughter Venka Webb, grandson Waylon Schultz and granddaughter Nikki Webb; his daughter Rebecca Corser and husband Kent Lee Corser, grandson Clark Allen Corser and preceded in death by granddaughter Nicole Kyle DesAlane Corser; step-son Albert Keith DesHotel and wife Maria DesHotel, grandson Daniel Keith DesHotel, grandson Hotel and wife Denise DesHotel and great-grandchildren Brittani Valdez, Adrian Valdez and Louis Valdez, grandson Brandon DesHotel and wife Melissa DesHotel.
A Celebration of Nick’s life will be held at 10 am, on Sunday, July 15, at the Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77079.
