Our dear mother passed away peacefully on January 19, 2026 at the age of 95 – at Trillium Lodge, Parksville B.C. Born in Croatia and immigrating to Canada in the late 1950’s, Maria and her family moved to the Vancouver area following a few years of living in Calgary. Her life was full of adventures, from running a mink farm in Cloverdale to owning two restaurants (Promenade and Panchos) in Vancouver. She loved to travel, and visited her homeland often. Maria is survived by her son John (Zsuzsi), daughter Nada (Allan), and daughter Annie (Brad); as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren Jennifer, Michael, Shawn, Melanie, Daniel, Roman, Aaron, Holly, Tigris, Harlow, Charlotte and Elias. She was predeceased by her spouses John and Frank. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: https://www.qbmemorials.ca. We are deeply grateful to the staff at Trillium Lodge for their kind care of Maria during her years there. Those wishing to honour her memory may do so in a way that would have reflected her ways—by taking a nature walk, tending a garden, or donating to a charity of their choice. A Mass in celebration of Maria’s life will be held at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Croatian Church in Vancouver, BC on May 1, 2026, at 12 noon.
To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Maria (HizakMelan), please visit our Tree Store.
Our dear mother passed away peacefully on January 19, 2026 at the age of 95 – at Trillium Lodge, Parksville B.C. Born in Croatia and immigrating to Canada in the late 1950’s, Maria and her family moved to the Vancouver area following a few years of living in Calgary. Her life was full of adventures, from running a mink farm in Cloverdale to owni
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Published on March 28, 2026