Giuseppe Joseph "Joe" Stipcevich

Joseph (Joso) Stipcevich, age 93 years of Thunder Bay, passed away peacefully at Bethammi Nursing Home on Thursday, March 2, 2017, with his family by his side. 

Born in Ploca (Zadar), Croatia on March 1, 1924, he served as a soldier in Italy during WWII, then as a POW in Germany for several years, before farming in Italy for five years.  He immigrated to Canada in 1950, working in bush camps and as a deckhand in Port Arthur, while supporting relatives in Croatia.  In 1958, he married Mary Matesic and started a family.  Later, he joined USW Local 6166 as a miner for INCO in Thompson, Manitoba for 31 years, recording only five sick days, before retiring in 1993.

Throughout his life, he acquired an incredible knowledge, and natural talent for horticulture, cultivating farmlands and nurturing gardens.  He also developed a keen interest in international events and history, inspiring him to travel the Far East and Europe, prior to returning to Thunder Bay.  Due to a medical condition, Grandview Lodge became home for the next 20 years, where he cared for the lodge’s gardens, wintering birds and ducks, before moving to Bethammi Nursing Home in 2015. He enjoyed home cooked meals with family, coffee with friends, factual conversation with acquaintances, and good luck at the casino.  He attended St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Joseph was predeceased by his parents Ante and Stosa Stipcevich.  He is survived by his sisters Christina Ostapovici of Thunder Bay and Angela Matesic of Vancouver, the devoted Mother of his children, Mary Stipcevich and daughter Lily (Mars) of Thunder Bay, son Peter and granddaughters Mateja and Evie of Toronto as well as many nieces and nephews in Croatia.

Joseph was a soft spoken, independent, generous man with a gentle soul – he will be missed by all who knew him – Nazdravlje!

Thank you to staff and friends who made Grandview Lodge home for Joe. Thank you as well to the nurses and staff of Bethammi Nursing Home for all of the care they provided to Joe during his short stay. A special thank you to the palliative care team for their comfort and compassion.

Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 with family and friends gathering in Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church for the Funeral Mass at 10:00am, celebrated by Fr. Francesco Blazek. Entombment will take place in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Visitation will take place from 9:30am until the time of the Mass. 

Should friends so desire, donations made in memory of Joseph to St. Joseph’s Foundation of Thunder Bay would be greatly appreciated.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Everest Funeral Chapel, 299 Waverley Street at Algoma.