Obituary for John Bunjevac Jr.
John Bunjevac Jr., age 94, entered into eternal rest on January 22nd, 2023, with
his loving family by his side.
John was born on August 18th, 1928, to parents John and Rose (Sacalovich)
Bunjevac of Ironwood (Jesseville location). He attended Ironwood schools,
was an active member in the ROTC program, and graduated with the class of
1946. Before graduating, he worked on the family homestead, at a greenhouse, and at A&P Foods.
He was drafted into the United States Armed Forces in 1950 and served in active combat in the Korean War as a Corporal in the 37th Field Artillery Battalion 2nd Infantry Division.
He married his wife, Patricia, on July 14th, 1951, while serving (blessed with 70 years together). They lived briefly in Indiana after he was honorably discharged from the service.After moving back to Ironwood, they started their family. He began a long career mining iron ore in the Penokee Mine,
then working as a metal fabricator at Schult Mobile Homes. After their closure, he
filled vending machines and worked with his brother painting. He eventually
began a career with the electric companies Lake Superior District Power,
Northern States Power and Excel Energy. He worked in substation
maintenance for 20+ years and then retired at the suggestion of his wife to
travel with her and spend time with their growing family. He was
a caregiver for their son for 30 years and then cared for his ailing wife later,
always putting himself last on his long list of to-dos. He was a devoted, kind-
hearted, soft-spoken, and generous soul who will be greatly missed by all who
had the pleasure of knowing him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Rundell); son, Mark; son-in-
law, Raymond Volaski; his parents; brothers, Nick (Leone), Steve (Dorothy),
Peter; sisters, Reggie (Joe) Tiziani, Mary (Art) Slade, Helen (Jim) Ledvina, Millie
(Paul) Dural, Katie (John) LaSota, Anna (Auburn)Clark, Rose (Don) White, Julie Brew, and many nieces and nephews.
He is survived by his daughters Colleen Volaski and Cheryl (Jeff) Johnson (Ham
Lake, MN); granddaughters Leslie (Jon) Lemieux, Lincoln, Jackson (Menasha,
WI); Lisa Grimsby (Wiita), Angeline, Michael, Madelyn; Megan Volaski, Kaylan
Volaski; sister-in-law, Cyndee (Dave) Carlson; brothers-in-law, nieces and
nephews.
A private service will be held at McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, with burial at
Riverside Cemetery on June 7th. The family would like to thank his caregivers
and physicians at Aspirus Home Care and Hospital and Gogebic Medical Care
Facility for the exceptional service they provided.
Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.
The family has chosen McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home of Ironwood to honor John's legacy of life. You can leave condolences or a tribute at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com
his loving family by his side.
John was born on August 18th, 1928, to parents John and Rose (Sacalovich)
Bunjevac of Ironwood (Jesseville location). He attended Ironwood schools,
was an active member in the ROTC program, and graduated with the class of
1946. Before graduating, he worked on the family homestead, at a greenhouse, and at A&P Foods.
He was drafted into the United States Armed Forces in 1950 and served in active combat in the Korean War as a Corporal in the 37th Field Artillery Battalion 2nd Infantry Division.
He married his wife, Patricia, on July 14th, 1951, while serving (blessed with 70 years together). They lived briefly in Indiana after he was honorably discharged from the service.After moving back to Ironwood, they started their family. He began a long career mining iron ore in the Penokee Mine,
then working as a metal fabricator at Schult Mobile Homes. After their closure, he
filled vending machines and worked with his brother painting. He eventually
began a career with the electric companies Lake Superior District Power,
Northern States Power and Excel Energy. He worked in substation
maintenance for 20+ years and then retired at the suggestion of his wife to
travel with her and spend time with their growing family. He was
a caregiver for their son for 30 years and then cared for his ailing wife later,
always putting himself last on his long list of to-dos. He was a devoted, kind-
hearted, soft-spoken, and generous soul who will be greatly missed by all who
had the pleasure of knowing him.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Rundell); son, Mark; son-in-
law, Raymond Volaski; his parents; brothers, Nick (Leone), Steve (Dorothy),
Peter; sisters, Reggie (Joe) Tiziani, Mary (Art) Slade, Helen (Jim) Ledvina, Millie
(Paul) Dural, Katie (John) LaSota, Anna (Auburn)Clark, Rose (Don) White, Julie Brew, and many nieces and nephews.
He is survived by his daughters Colleen Volaski and Cheryl (Jeff) Johnson (Ham
Lake, MN); granddaughters Leslie (Jon) Lemieux, Lincoln, Jackson (Menasha,
WI); Lisa Grimsby (Wiita), Angeline, Michael, Madelyn; Megan Volaski, Kaylan
Volaski; sister-in-law, Cyndee (Dave) Carlson; brothers-in-law, nieces and
nephews.
A private service will be held at McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, with burial at
Riverside Cemetery on June 7th. The family would like to thank his caregivers
and physicians at Aspirus Home Care and Hospital and Gogebic Medical Care
Facility for the exceptional service they provided.
Love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone.
The family has chosen McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home of Ironwood to honor John's legacy of life. You can leave condolences or a tribute at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com