Michael Kozuipa

My part of the eulogy tonight will be in English

Dear family members present here today:

Ivan's sons – Miroslav and Roman and their wives Joanne and Kelly and their children.

Ivan's mother Sofia.

His sisters – Maria and Anna and their husbands – Joe and myself - Michael.

His brothers: Michael and his wife Tamara.

Peter and Paul and their families that are with us in spirit today.

His first cousin Peter, who was like a brother to him.

The rest of the nieces, nephews and cousins. And all of you, that came here tonight to show respect and to honor Ivan's memory and Ivan's family.

I speak about Ivan as his brother-in-law for almost 34 years. Ivan was a unique person. He had a deep love for his children and his family. He was always ready to joke around. His was a quiet sort of humor. He took life's blows and rolled with the punches.

Life took some unique turns for him. He was born in what everyone has known as Yugoslavia, and is known today as Bosnia-Hertsegovina. His whole family – Father, mother, 3 brothers and 2 sisters were able to leave Communist Yugoslavia in 1963. Because of his age, (he was the oldest surviving brother in the family) he was barely able to leave Yugoslavia one year later just short of receiving his pedagogical teacher's degree.

When he came to America to join his family, he was able to help them resettle from the chicken farm in Rhode Island, where they were working off the cost of their passage to America, to Willimantic. While the older members of the family got jobs at American Thread, he went to work for Brand Rex.

Once he settled in, he married and had 2 wonderful sons, Miroslav and Roman. For the rest of his life, these 2 boys were the center of his life.

Ivan was a principled man that lived by his principles. When he had a belief, he lived by that belief.

He was proud to be a Ukrainian-American and was active in the Ukrainian community, willing to volunteer his time at the Ukrainian National Home and whenever there were affairs held in the community.

A few years ago, when he had his heart attack, his life changed dramatically. He realized he could not maintain the house he built and loved. But God sometimes moves in mysterious ways. For every grey cloud there is a silver lining. Ivan got to live with his younger son Roman. He was also close to his older son Miroslav, as they both lived not far from each other in Massachusetts. He had very much missed being close to both of them, and here it was that he was put into a situation that allowed him to see his sons and his grandchild daily. He was also blessed because both their wives were very loving, accepting and helpful to him.

His passing this past Sunday took the family by surprise. But how wonderful it was, that he was surrounded by his sons in his last moments. For a loving father, I can not think of a more peaceful and satisfying way to let go of life.

Ivan has now joined his father and brothers in heaven.

We pray God to take his soul in his loving hands and to forgive him any shortcomings he had in life. We know that Ivan is watching over his family now from up above. We believe that he will always try to intercede in his family's behalf in any way that he can. We pray for his soul. And we pray that Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary can comfort his family with the knowledge that Ivan is now with God.

Ivan, I am proud to say that you were my brother-in-law and that you were my friend. God bless your soul!

May we never forget you!

Vichnaya Pamyat!