(Nee Arnež)  Passed away peacefully at home on November 24 at the age of 97 years.  She was preceded in death by her husband Janez to whom she was married for 65 years.  She is survived by her sons John (Patty), Cyril (Cathy), and Clement (Emily), as well as grandchildren Kate (Jason), Lisa (Andy), Maggie (Piero), Emily (Chad), Greg, Johanna, Mark, Anna (Conor), Elise (Danny), Greta, and Paul, and also great-grandchildren Evie, Georgia, Hank, Sam, Molly, Annie, Jake, Maddy, Leo, Lucy, Ceci, and Miles.  She is also survived by her sister Paula, and was preceded in death by her siblings Peter, Anton and Helena.

Marija was born in Jesenice, Slovenija, when it was part of Yugoslavia.  She attended the State Teachers College in Ljubljana and received her Teaching Degree.  Her first teaching position was at Sv. Janž.  She departed in 1945 to Carinthia, Austria, where she taught elementary school in the Displaced Persons Camps.  She married Janez at Gospa Sveta in Austria on December 29, 1948.  She arrived in the United States in 1949, and received her Teachers Certificate from the State of Wisconsin.  She taught 3rd grade at St. Matthew’s Parish for 25 years, and was selected as Teacher of the Year by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1969.

Marija was a devoted mother to her three sons, and loved time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Her cooking and baking skills were cherished by all ages!  She loved to sew and knit, and continued to create gifts into the last year of her life. 

The Family would like to thank Jasmina and Shelley for their many years of devoted care for Marija.

Visitation will be on December 1, from 10:30 till Noon, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at Noon, both held at St. Dominic Catholic Parish, 18255 West Capitol Drive,  Brookfield.  Burial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery following immediately.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials may be directed to St. Dominic Parish, Prince of Peace Parish, or Gesu Parish.

Za Boga, narod in domovino

For God, Nation and Homeland

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