Obituary of Deacon Nikola V. Drobac

Very Rev. Deacon Nikola Drobac, age 87, son of Vasilije and Anka Drobac (deceased), passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2010. Born in Gracac Lika, Yugoslavia, he was very active in all sports, especially in gymnastics and soccer. During World War II, he served in the Chetnik Forces of General Draza Mihailovic as Second Lieutenant. After the war, he was stationed in the refugee camp in Eboli, Italy where as a noted and very popular soccer player met, fell in love, and married his devoted wife, Vidosava. Two years later they went to Germany where they both were blessed with a beautiful daughter, Snezana. Upon arrival in the U.S., he came to Akron, found a job as a glazer at Pittsburgh Plate Company but later went to the United Plate Glass Company and remained there until retirement in 1986. At the same time he joined St. Demetrius Serbian Orthodox Church where he was a secretary of the church board and a member of the church choir. He was one of the founders of the Royal Yugoslavian Army Combatants' Association "Draza Mihailovic" Chapter in the Cleveland-Akron area and also was a founding member of the first Serbian Radio Club in Akron. In his younger days, he coached Akron University's soccer team and later organized and coached "Obilic"-the first Serbian soccer team and at the time the best team in the Akron Soccer League. All these activities never affected his love and devotion to the Lord and the Serbian Orthodox Church. After hard work and lots of learning, he was ordained a deacon on September 7, 1980 by Metropolitan Andrej of the White Russian Orthodox Church in Cleveland, Ohio and promoted to Very Rev. Deacon a couple of years later. In the early nineties, with the blessing of Metropolitan Iriney of Nova Gracanica Metropolitante, he became a deacon of St. Demetrius Church serving God and the Serbian communities in Akron and many other churches of Novogracanica Metropolitante until be became very fragile and physically unable to participate. The same intensity of love and devotion to his wife, Vida; daughter, Snezana; and the rest of the family remained in his heart for the rest of his earthly life. He was the beloved husband of Vidosava; father of Snezana (Ivan) Mirkovic; grandfather of Svetlana Tousley and Biljana Mirkovic; great-grandfather of Bianca, Ivana, Max, Sinisa and Giovanni; brother of Milos-Mica (Audrey) from England and Svetozar (deceased); brother-in-law of Miladinka Zorich (late Pavle), Radmila Milanov (late Mirko, Canada) and late Milorad Jelicic (Ksenija, Serbia); uncle of Nada Smith (Robert), Vera Vujadinovic (Jovan), Ruza Savic (Dusan), and in England, Milan, Aleksandar and Shana Drobac; great-uncle of Christopher and Michael; kum of the Cucuz Family, Dane Budimir Family (Cleveland), Dane Drobac Family (Canada); and dear friend of many throughout the U.S., Canada and Australia. Funeral service will be held Monday, 11 a.m. at St. Demetrius Serbian Orthodox Church, 3106 Ridgewood Rd. Fairlawn, Ohio 44333 where he will lie in state one hour prior to the service. Very Rev. Fr. George Mileusnich officiating. Interment at Lakewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday, 3 to 7 p.m. AT THE CHURCH where a Parastas service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Donations may be made to the church. (Anthony Funeral Homes, 330-724-1281, www.anthonyfh.com )