Luke Kozich

Luke Kozich was born on 1 January 1939 to Ivica and Manda (Šakić) Kozić in the village of Sasina (Sanski Most), Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. As the son of Croatian parents, he was baptized into the Catholic faith, with Milijan Klarić serving as his godfather.

Throughout his youth, Luke served as an altar boy at the village church, proudly participating in the Mass and honored to ring the church bells on special occasions. Luke’s parents, Ivica and Manda, along with his extended family were proud Croatians and devout Catholics. Their efforts and sacrifices, in the name of their faith, contributed to the now-realized goal of a free, independent Croatia.

On 18 January 1958, seeking freedom and expanded opportunities, 19-year-old Luke escaped from the former Yugoslavia with his uncle, Marko Matoš. Together, on a snowy winter night under the cover of darkness, they crossed the border between Slovenia and Italy, hid in the forest, and turned themselves in at daybreak to Interpol at the Trieste/Padriciano Refugee Camp, where they requested political asylum. Luke remained in Italy for the next 16 months and lived in three different refugee camps: Trieste/Padriciano, Capua, and Bari.

Sponsored by his uncle, Matt Jager, and with the financial assistance of Catholic Charities and the St. Vincent de Paul Society (which paid $250 for his voyage aboard the passenger ship, Vulcania), Luke departed the Bay of Naples on 17 April 1959, en route for a new life in the United States of America.

On the morning of 29 April 1959, Luke awoke to find his ship docked in front of the Statue of Liberty. After disembarking, and accompanied by a social worker, Luke was formally and legally admitted as an immigrant into the United States of America. In commemoration of that momentous day, Luke’s name can be found inscribed upon the Immigrant Wall of Honor on Ellis Island.

The day after Luke arrived in New York City, he boarded the Union South railroad train from New York to Racine, Wisconsin. Within a week of his arrival in Racine, Luke began working for the J.I. Case Company. His first role was in the J.I. Case Clausen Works Foundry, where he worked for 6 months. During this period, he also held a second job as a surgical orderly at St. Luke’s Hospital. This was an experience which he spoke proudly of throughout his life. Following his time at Clausen Works, Luke was transferred to the J.I. Case Transmission Plant in Sturtevant, where he worked for the rest of his career. Luke proudly retired on 1 April 2004, having provided 42 years of dedicated service to the J.I. Case Company.

On 16 June 1964, a little more than 5 years after he immigrated to the United States, Luke became a naturalized United States Citizen. His citizenship was conferred by Racine County Clerk of Courts Edward F. Daley – who was, coincidentally, the uncle of the woman he would meet 7 years later and make his wife.

On 5 September 1970 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Racine, Wisconsin, Luke married his first wife Ellen Cecelia Flynn, daughter of Attorney and former U.S. Representative Gerald T. Flynn and Mary C. (McAvoy) Flynn of Racine, Wisconsin. Together, during their 25-year marriage, Luke and Ellen welcomed 4 daughters: Ann, Victoria, Stephanie, and Mary. Luke and Ellen were active members of St. Lucy’s Catholic Church, where Luke proudly served on the School Board and on the annual Parish Festival Committee. Luke and Ellen proudly educated their daughters at St. Lucy’s Elementary School and St. Catherine’s High School. Ellen lost her valiant battle with ovarian cancer on 30 September 1995.

On 23 August 1997 at St. John’s Chapel – DeKoven Foundation in Racine, Wisconsin, Luke married his second wife, Sandra Robbyn (Jacobsen) Erickson, daughter of Paul and Dorothy (Masters) Jacobsen of Racine, Wisconsin. At the time of Luke’s passing, he and Sandra had enjoyed 27 years of marriage, during which time they saw their respective families grow and expand. Luke and Sandra not only shared in the joy of devoted companionship in their day-to-day activities and adventures but also had wonderful opportunities to travel together to Australia, Europe, and numerous locations across the United States.

Luke maintained a strong emotional tie to his Croatian heritage throughout his entire life. He made it a priority to impart his love for his Homeland and his culture to his wives, children, and grandchildren and shared numerous wonderful, vibrant, meaningful stories and teachings with them. Each July, the Kozich Family would make the pilgrimage to Croatian Park in Franklin, Wisconsin to participate in the annual Croatian Picnic – the most special day of the year for Luke.

In June 2013, accompanied by his wife, children, and grandchildren, Luke returned to his Homeland for the first time since he left as a young man. He was fortunate to return with his daughters a second time, in 2019. During both of those trips, Luke was welcomed with enormous love and respect by numerous members of his extended family. He enthusiastically maintained those relationships through weekly phone calls and Skype/Facebook Messenger sessions up until just a week before his passing. In December 2024, shortly before his 86th birthday, Luke received an extraordinary gift: news that his application to reclaim his Croatian citizenship had been approved.

Luke is predeceased by his parents, Ivica and Manda (Šakić) Kozić; his sister, Ana Kozić; his first wife, Ellen (Flynn) Kozich; his surrogate mother figure, Karolina Velickovic; and his beloved cousins Jakov Kozić, Ante Kozić, Joso Kozić, Vinko Kozić, Pero Kozić, and Joseph L. Jager, all of whom were considered by Luke to be his brothers – among many other relatives and friends.

Luke is survived and will be forever missed by his loving family: his second wife, Sandra; his daughters Ann (Craig) Swenson, Victoria Kozich, Stephanie (Adam) Suring, and Mary Kozich (Andrea Chuk); and his grandchildren Luka Jakšić, Hayley Swenson, Andrew Suring, Ainsley Swenson, and Margaret Suring. The Kozich Family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Malik Bandealy, Dr. Prakash Shah, and Hospice Nurses Kathryn and Taryn. We are eternally grateful to each of them for the respectful and compassionate care that they provided to Luke and the support they provided to our family.

When asked how he would like to be remembered, Luke responded: “That I was a good person. That I helped people who could not help themselves. That I was an honest person. That I always did the right thing, even when it was hard. That I persevered and kept moving forward.”

Luke always said that he’d never met a stranger. He was always the first to strike up a conversation or offer a helping hand to anyone he encountered. He never hesitated to pick up the phone and call those he thought might be lonely or could use some cheering up. He noticed people and he knew when and how to reach out to those who were lonely or alone. Luke was a true gentleman and a gentle man. It was common to hear Luke telling stories about a recent visit to a friend, neighbor, or family member at a nursing home – only to find out that he extended his visit to help feed or visit with other patients he encountered who he noticed were seeking a friendly face to visit with them or to provide a patient, compassionate ear to listen to them.

Luke’s generosity and selflessness made him well-loved and respected by everyone who knew him. His absence will be felt across continents and generations. As such, Luke’s family would like to invite anyone who knew him to gather and share stories and memories at the funeral home on Sunday, February 16, 2025 from Noon until 2:00 pm.

Private interment will take place at Calvary Garden Crypts.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Luke’s name may be directed to: Croatian Park/Federation of Croatian Societies http://www.milwaukeecroatians.org/croatian-park/ or Saint Vincent de Paul Society of Racine https://www.svdpracine.org/donate-form