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February 19, 2008
Radislav Zelenkov “Deda Rada” age 80 on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 of Totowa. He was surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Izbiste, Yugoslavia on March 17, 1927. He met and married the love of his life, Zlata. They had three children: Nada, Vera and Jovan.
Rada and his wife immigrated to the US in 1983, and have lived in Totowa ever since. He joined the family company, Al & John Inc., a meat processing company. He worked for the company until his retirement, and is fondly remembered as a hardworking, bright and talented mechanic who could fix anything. He maintained the company’s machines and was always able to find a solution to any problem. This was the job he loved the most.
He was a man of many trades, who worked 20 hour days to support his family. He worked as a baker, and as a builder in his earlier years in his home country of Yugoslavia. Out of sympathy for her hard working father and his very long hours of work, his young daughter Vera often accompanied him to work after school and on weekends, to help him whichever way she could.
He leaves his family with many fond memories of a very loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.
Radislav and Zlata were married for fifty-nine years in a “devoted and inseparable” marriage that perhaps could best be described as “two peas in a loving pod”. He recently told Zlata, with a very complimentary gesture, that he should have met her and married her way before he did because she has been a truly wonderful part of his life.
His children remember him as the “Best Dad in the whole world”. He was a kind, loving, patient father who was always there to inspire, to help and to comfort. He always put his children before himself, and was selfless and kind in every way imaginable.
His grandchildren remember him as a funny, warm-hearted grand-dad who was just a blast to have around. He always made everything so fun and always made them laugh until they were in stitches. He was so kind and so warm, and always made them feel like the most important people in the whole world.
After his retirement, he loved to fish. He often could be found at the Haledon reservoir casting his line. A baker by profession, he would spoil his loved ones and friends with his homemade hot pogacice, burek, kifle, and gibanica.
He is remembered as a man of great character and great spirit. He just loved to make people laugh. He was a very hard working, loving family man who was always there with the right words when you needed him. He was always there to help, no matter who needed it.
We will miss his hearty laugh, his funny stories, his trademark uniform of suspenders and that Glen Rock Hat, and of course that pocket knife that not only cut bread and sliced apples, but somehow miraculously was able to fix any broken household appliance. We will miss his enjoyment of country western movies, and we will always remember that period in the 1980’s, when he walked around the house with that cowboy hat (just to make us all smile). There is just no one on earth like you, and we are so grateful for all the years of wonderful memories and love that have touched us.
Surviving are his loving wife of fifty-nine years Zlatica (nee Ivkov) Zelenkov; two daughters Nada Turika and her husband Stevan of Vrsac, Yugoslavia, Vera Oldja and her husband Alexander of Totowa; one son Jovan Zelenkov and his wife Sofia of Totowa; nine grandchildren Jennifer Schulstad and her husband Paul, Diana, Allen and Daniel Oldja, Marinela Zidisic and her husband Goran, Marin Turika, Jovana, Nenad and Verica Zelenkov; two great grandchildren Brianna Schulstad and Isidora Zidisic.
One sister and two brothers died previously.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
February 19, 2008
Radislav Zelenkov “Deda Rada” age 80 on Tuesday, February 19, 2008 of Totowa. He was surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Izbiste, Yugoslavia on March 17, 1927. He met and married the love of his life, Zlata. They had three children: Nada, Vera and Jovan.
Rada and his wife immigrated to the US in 1983, and have lived in Totowa ever since. He joined the family company, Al & John Inc., a meat processing company. He worked for the company until his retirement, and is fondly remembered as a hardworking, bright and talented mechanic who could fix anything. He maintained the company’s machines and was always able to find a solution to any problem. This was the job he loved the most.
He was a man of many trades, who worked 20 hour days to support his family. He worked as a baker, and as a builder in his earlier years in his home country of Yugoslavia. Out of sympathy for her hard working father and his very long hours of work, his young daughter Vera often accompanied him to work after school and on weekends, to help him whichever way she could.
He leaves his family with many fond memories of a very loving and caring husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.
Radislav and Zlata were married for fifty-nine years in a “devoted and inseparable” marriage that perhaps could best be described as “two peas in a loving pod”. He recently told Zlata, with a very complimentary gesture, that he should have met her and married her way before he did because she has been a truly wonderful part of his life.
His children remember him as the “Best Dad in the whole world”. He was a kind, loving, patient father who was always there to inspire, to help and to comfort. He always put his children before himself, and was selfless and kind in every way imaginable.
His grandchildren remember him as a funny, warm-hearted grand-dad who was just a blast to have around. He always made everything so fun and always made them laugh until they were in stitches. He was so kind and so warm, and always made them feel like the most important people in the whole world.
After his retirement, he loved to fish. He often could be found at the Haledon reservoir casting his line. A baker by profession, he would spoil his loved ones and friends with his homemade hot pogacice, burek, kifle, and gibanica.
He is remembered as a man of great character and great spirit. He just loved to make people laugh. He was a very hard working, loving family man who was always there with the right words when you needed him. He was always there to help, no matter who needed it.
We will miss his hearty laugh, his funny stories, his trademark uniform of suspenders and that Glen Rock Hat, and of course that pocket knife that not only cut bread and sliced apples, but somehow miraculously was able to fix any broken household appliance. We will miss his enjoyment of country western movies, and we will always remember that period in the 1980’s, when he walked around the house with that cowboy hat (just to make us all smile). There is just no one on earth like you, and we are so grateful for all the years of wonderful memories and love that have touched us.
Surviving are his loving wife of fifty-nine years Zlatica (nee Ivkov) Zelenkov; two daughters Nada Turika and her husband Stevan of Vrsac, Yugoslavia, Vera Oldja and her husband Alexander of Totowa; one son Jovan Zelenkov and his wife Sofia of Totowa; nine grandchildren Jennifer Schulstad and her husband Paul, Diana, Allen and Daniel Oldja, Marinela Zidisic and her husband Goran, Marin Turika, Jovana, Nenad and Verica Zelenkov; two great grandchildren Brianna Schulstad and Isidora Zidisic.
One sister and two brothers died previously.
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