Milan Kozić

Milan Kozić, age 86, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, in Kraljevo, Serbia.

He was born in Ribari, Yugoslavia, on March 25, 1939, to Nikodije and Kadivka (née Vukajlović) Kozić. Milan earned a degree in Economics at the University in Niš and served in the Yugoslav army.

When Milan was just eighteen months old, his father, Nikodije, was called to serve in World War II and served five years as a prisoner of war in Germany. Following his liberation—and amid the political changes occurring within Yugoslavia—Nikodije chose to immigrate to the United States, settling in Racine, Wisconsin. In 1966, at the age of 26, Milan met his father for the first time in Yugoslavia.

After completing his military service, Milan began working at Merima Kruševac where he worked with his future wife, Nada. The two married in 1968, and their daughter, Aleksandra, was born in December of that same year. In November 1969, Milan and Nada immigrated to the United States with their infant daughter and all their belongings packed into two suitcases. Just a few months later, in February 1970, their son, Dejan, was born, completing their family.

After settling permanently in America, Milan worked at American Motors (later Chrysler Motors) in Kenosha, Wisconsin, for over fifteen years. During that time, he and Nada also opened and operated a family restaurant at the Flatiron Village Mall in Racine, which they ran for over 21 years. When Chrysler closed its Kenosha operations, Milan retired and turned his attention to real estate, purchasing and renovating rental properties—work he had a real passion for and continued to do for the rest of his life.

A true self-taught craftsman, Milan once spent an entire year single-handedly building a two-story addition to one of his properties, which became the family home for nearly two decades. Even well into his eighties, he could be found driving around town, tending to his rental properties—repairing roofs, making improvements, and cutting down large trees on his own. Just a week before his passing, he was in the process of adding a new roof to a garage he had built at his family home in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia.

Milan cherished his summers in Serbia, where he spent time with loved ones while working on his property there. He enjoyed the simple things in life - traveling, playing chess, hunting with his best friends, son, and grandsons, and sharing stories with anyone willing to listen. Milan had a love for dogs and most recently adopted a stray dog that showed up on the doorstep of his Serbian home. Above all, he treasured time spent with his family, especially his four grandchildren, often inviting them to join him in Serbia. Milan often said his greatest treasures in life were his children and grandchildren.

Milan is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Nada Kozić; daughter, Aleksandra Kozić; son, Dejan (Cynthia) Kozić; and four beloved grandchildren: Maja Jovović, Nikodije, Aleksandar, and Natalia Kozić. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nikodije and Kadivka (née Vukajlović) Kozić, his only brother, Milisav Kozić, and his niece, Mirjana Kozić.

He will be deeply missed by all who knew him in both the United States and Serbia.

A visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home, located at 803 Main Street, Racine, WI.

The funeral service will take place the following day, Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery Chapel, 32377 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in St. Sava Cemetery.

Family and friends are warmly invited to attend a luncheon following the burial service at the Shanty Restaurant in Wadsworth, IL. Your presence and support are deeply appreciated.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following charities:

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital www.stjude.org/donate 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105

Habitat for Humanity of Racine & Kenosha Counties www.habitatforhumanity.org/donate 1501 Villa Street, Racine, WI 53403

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the relatives and friends in Serbia and the United States who provided support throughout this difficult time.

Milan Kozić

25. mart 1939 – 13. avgust 2025

RACINE – Milan Kozić, u 86. godini života, iznenada je preminuo u sredu, 13. avgusta 2025. godine, u Kraljevu, Srbija.

Rođen je u Ribarima, Jugoslavija, 25. marta 1939. godine, od oca Nikodija i majke Kadivke (rođ. Vukajlović) Kozić. Milan je završio Ekonomski fakultet u Nišu i služio je vojni rok u Jugoslovenskoj narodnoj armiji.

Kada je Milan imao samo godinu i po dana, njegov otac Nikodije je bio pozvan u Drugi svetski rat i proveo je pet godina u Nemačkoj kao ratni zarobljenik. Nakon oslobođenje — i u svetlu političkih promena u Jugoslaviji — Nikodije je odlučio da emigrira u Sjedinjene Američke Države, gde se nastanio u Rasinu, Viskonsina. Tek 1966. godine, u svojoj 26. godini, Milan je prvi put upoznao oca u Jugoslaviji.

Po završetku vojne službe, Milan je počeo da radi u Merima Kruševac, gde je upoznao svoju buduću suprugu Nadu. Venčali su se 1968. godine, a iste godine, u decembru, dobili ćerku Aleksandru. U novembru 1969. godine Milan i Nada su emigrirali u Sjedinjene Države sa svojom malom ćerkom i svim stvarima spakovanim u dva kofera. Nekoliko meseci kasnije, u februaru 1970, rodio im se sin Dejan, čime je njihova porodica bila kompletna.

Po dolasku u Ameriku, Milan je više od petnaest godina radio u fabrici „American Motors“ (kasnije „Chrysler Motors“) u Kenoši u Viskonsinu. Istovremeno, sa suprugom Nadom otvorio je i vodio porodični restoran u tržnom centru „Flatiron Village“ u Rasinu, koji su uspešno držali više od dvadeset jednu godinu. Nakon zatvaranja „Chryslerovih“ pogona u Kenoši, Milan se posvetio nekretninama – kupovini i renoviranju stanova i kuća – posao koji je voleo i u kojem je ostao aktivan do kraja života.

Kao istinski samouk majstor, Milan je jedne godine sopstvenim rukama izgradio dvospratnu nadogradnju na jednoj od svojih kuća, koja je postala porodični dom za skoro dve decenije. Čak i u poznim osamdesetih godina mogao se videti kako obilazi svoje nekretnine – popravlja krovove, unapređuje objekte i sam seče velika stabla. Samo nedelju dana pre nego što je preminuo, bio je u procesu postavljanja novog krova na garaži koju je prethodnog leta izgradio u porodičnoj kući u Vrnjačkoj Banji.

Milan je najviše voleo letnje mesece u Srbiji, koje je provodio sa porodicom i prijateljima, radeći na svojoj kući i imanju. Uživaо je u jednostavnim stvarima – putovanjima, šahu, lovu sa najboljim prijateljima, sinom i unucima, kao i u pripovedanje priča svakome ko je želeo da sluša. Imao je posebnu ljubav prema psi i nedavno je udomio jednog lutalicu koji se pojavio na pragu njegove kuće u Srbiji. Iznad svega, najveća radost za njega bilo je vreme provedeno sa porodicom, posebno sa četvoro unučadi, koje je često pozivao da mu se pridruže u Srbiji. Često je govorio da je njegovo najveće blago u životu bila njegova deca i unuci

Za njim ostaju neutješni: njegova odana supruga od 57 godina braka, Nada Kozić; ćerka, Aleksandra Kozić; sin Dejan (Cintija) Kozić; i unučad: Maja Jovović, Nikodije, Aleksandar i Natalija Kozić. Pretekli su ga u smrt njegovi roditelji Nikodije i Kadivka, brat Milsav Kozić i bratanica Mirjana Kozić.

Biće duboko žalovan i pamćen od strane rodbine i prijatelja u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama i Srbiji.

Opelo i ispraćaj biće održani u utorak, 2. septembra 2025. godine, od 17:00 do 19:00 časova, u pogrebnom domu Maresh-Meredith & Acklam, na adresi 803 Main Street, Racine, Viskonsin.

Sahrana će se održati narednog dana, u sredu, 3. septembra 2025. godine, u Manastiru Svetog Save Srpske Pravoslavne Crkve, na adresi 32377 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, Ilinois, sa početkom u 11:00 časova, nakon čega će uslediti opelo i sahrana na manastirskom groblju.

Nakon sahrane, porodica srdačno poziva sve prisutne na posluženje i pomen u restoranu The Shanty, Wadsworth, IL.

Umesto cveća, porodica moli da se donacije u znak sećanja na Milana upute sledećim organizacijama:

St. Jude Dečja istraživačka bolnica www.stjude.org/donate 262 Danni Thomas Place, Memfis, TN 38105

Stanište za čovečanstvo okruga Racine i Kenosha www.habitatforhumanity.org/donate 1501 Villa Street, Racine, VI 53403

Porodica Kozić upućuje iskrenu zahvalnost svojoj rodbini i prijateljima u Srbiji i Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama koji su im pružili podršku u ovim teškim trenucima.