Ljiljana Bijelonic

Ljiljana Bijelonic, age 38, of Wayne passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, September 14, 2020 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Ljiljana was born in Prnjavor, Bosnia and was the younger of two children to Ljubomir and Grozda Bijelonic.  When Ljiljana was twelve years old, her parents immigrated to the United States in search of a better life.  When arriving the Unites States, the family settled in Paterson.  Ljiljana attended Passaic County Technical Institute and graduated with the class of 2000.  Upon her graduation she was accepted and enrolled at Rutgers University in New Brunswick where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with the class of 2004.

Following her graduation, tragedy struck her life, when Ljiljana had a terrible accident which left her paralyzed from the chest down.  Most people would not find the will to go on with their lives, but Ljiljana was a courageous and strong-willed woman who would not give up.  One of her doctors, Dr. Robert Heary, invited her as a guest speaker at one of his seminars.  She was asked to speak on the subject of providing personal insight to physicians about the daily lives and struggles of those with her disability.  Throughout the years, Ljiljana also participated in research for spinal cord injuries, again providing understanding and awareness in regards to people in her position.

Ljiljana was an avid reader and an animal lover.  She was not only an animal lover but someone who deeply cared about all living things and the environment in which they lived.  She was a vegetarian and was the kind of person who wouldn’t do harm to anyone or anything.  When a spider, ant or fly was in the house, she made sure that her family would “escort it outside and not kill it.”  She was truly someone who cherished nature and all of its inhabitants.

Ljiljana was a cherished daughter, sister, and aunt.  Her greatest passion was for her family and she was loved deeply by everyone she knew.  Ljiljana was a truly special person who touched the lives of many people and will be sincerely missed by everyone that knew her.

Ljiljana is survived by her parents Ljubomir and Grozda Bijelonic of Wayne, her brother Ranko Bijelonic and his wife Jelena of Hoboken, two nieces Milena Bijelonic, and Larisa Bijelonic both of Hoboken, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ljiljana's name to the Humane Society of The United States, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450 Washington, DC 20037.  https://www.humanesociety.org/