From Eulogy for Steve Krizmanic
Steve's flair for
the dramatic began with his birth on Christmas Eve, December 24th, 1954 in the village of Cerna in the former Yugoslavia.
Many significant events in his life happened on or around major holidays. His life, however, was not always a "holiday".
He was working hard from an early age and he also lost his father when he was a teenager.
Steve came to Canada with the help of his sister Anica and brother-in-law, Joseph for a visit
in the spring of 1979 and shortly after he met his wife, Dorothy. In 1980 they married in Germany where he had been staying
with the family of Janos Kuti. They finally decided to settle in Canada in 1981 and four years later their only daughter,
Iris, was born.
Steve obtained his high school diploma in
Canada while working during the day and studying at night, and finished a college course in Stationary Engineering. In the
last year of his life he had been working on acquiring qualifications as a plant engineer. Though he enjoyed working with
his hands, he also loved to employ his mind. His creativity and skills in design would easily have, had the circumstances
been different, made him a brilliant engineer. He also had an amazing aptitude for languages, which continually surprised
everyone. He learned German well enough to live in the country for a year and when he moved to Canada he picked up English
and Hungarian simultaneously, both of which he spoke incredibly well. He was also interested and involved in his faith, so
much so that he took courses and received a certificate in theology through the Association of North American-Hungarian Baptists.
Steve appeared several times on the 100 Huntley Street Christian television program as a guest, speaking or singing in Croatian.
With the help of his childhood friend, George Pacek, and
a few other dedicated Christian friends they were able to realize one of his dreams, an organization that would bring together
Christians from the territories of the former Yugoslavia to fellowship in their own language. Thus, with much effort and perseverance,
the South Slavic Evangelical Mission was born. It is now over twenty years old and thriving. He was its secretary for many
years and didn't miss a conference meeting.
He also loved
to play sports. In his home country he had been part of a professional field hockey team. In the summer conferences in Kingsville
or in the Hungarian Camp he was always out there with the youth playing lengthy soccer games.
Steve loved music. He especially loved to sing whether it was by himself, with friends, or
even duets with his sisters, wife, and daughter. He was a talented and enthusiastic drum player, first on the hand drums in
Croatia and then on a drum set, which he got in Canada. Unfortunately, newly married as he was, he made the hard decision
to sell his drum set for a bed so that the young married couple would not sleep on the floor.
He was a family man, unendingly supportive of everything that his wife and daughter decided
to take on. Whether it was going back to school for another degree or traveling overseas to study or attending concerts and
performances where his applause could be heard over everyone else's.
He had a good heart and even as he neared the end he never lost faith or became bitter, always cheerful and happy.
He will always be remembered
by his immediate family, wife: Dorothy, daughter: Iris, sisters: Anica, Lidia and Marica, brothers: Daniel, Ivica, Zvonko
and Enoh along with the extended family and a large circle of friends in North America, Europe and Australia.
