ARTICLES – Remembering Dane Orlich by Djuradj “George” Vujcic, Canadian writer and translator.
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Urban Book Circle® (UBC)
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Remembering Dane Orlich
Dane “Dan” Orlich was born on February 29, 1924 into a large Serbian family in Otocac in the Gacka dolina area of Lika. Since he was born in a leap year, the date of February 15 was entered as his day of birth.
During the Second World War, he was a member of the Chetniks and after the war, he spent three years in displaced persons camps in Italy and Germany after which, in 1948, he moved to England where he continued his education. He lived in England for several years where he first learned the English language. After that, he settled in Canada – first in Windsor and then in Oshawa where he worked for General Motors for 37 years. After a while, he also brought his father Nikola (December 10, 1896 – January 17, 1971) who is interred at Union Cemetery in Oshawa.
In Canada, he married his wonderful wife Staka (née Babic; 1926–2014) from Mazin in Lika. Dane was a grateful citizen of Canada but he never forgot his roots and remained faithful to Serbdom and Orthodoxy his entire life. He was an active member of the Ravna Gora Movement of Serbian Chetniks (Toronto chapter).
He was a founding member and a tutor of the Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation of Whitby. Due to his unselfish and untiring sacrifices and merit, Fr. Milovan Sredojevic (parish priest of the church in Whitby from 2010 to 2017) bestowed upon him the title of life-long Honorary President of the Church and School Congregation of Whitby.
Dane passed away in Scarborough, Toronto on February 27, 2020 during Great Lent.
Family, friends and acquaintances of Dane Orlich said their goodbyes to him on March 3, 2020 at Mount Lawn Funeral Home in Whitby. The opelo (requiem) was held the following day in the Saint Arsenije Sremac Church in Whitby. Afterwards, a speech was held by the parish priest Fr. Milos Puric who said that Dane was a wonderful man and a man full of love and kindness who loved God and all the people around him. Fr. Milos said that he would never forget the amount of joy and love Dane would greet him with when Fr. Milos would visit him and that Dane would be visibly joyful and excited that a priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited him. Fr. Milos said that he believes that Dane with his goodness and love earned eternal and everlasting life with God – life in which there is no sadness, suffering or pain. Fr. Milos also said that although it’s hard for us to say goodbye to him, we should also be joyful because he is now in an eternal and better life than we are.
At the request of Fr. Milos, the former President of the Church and School Congregation of Whitby Svetozar Jovanovic also held a short speech. Among other things, he mentioned Dane’s goodness and said that – although they didn’t have children of their own – Dane and Staka loved children and children loved them. He also thanked Dane’s former neighbours from Oshawa Frank and Lisa DiMalta who loved, respected and regularly visited him.
The funeral procession then left for the Holy Transfiguration Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Milton, Ontario where Dane was interred next to his wife Staka.
When saying goodbye to people, Dane would tell them not to change which was his personal way of emphasizing the uniqueness and value of every person. He was a gentle man of quiet nature and young spirit which is partly the reason his family and friends lovingly called him Danny Boy.
Cika Dane, may God rest your soul. Vecnaja pamjat!
During the Second World War, he was a member of the Chetniks and after the war, he spent three years in displaced persons camps in Italy and Germany after which, in 1948, he moved to England where he continued his education. He lived in England for several years where he first learned the English language. After that, he settled in Canada – first in Windsor and then in Oshawa where he worked for General Motors for 37 years. After a while, he also brought his father Nikola (December 10, 1896 – January 17, 1971) who is interred at Union Cemetery in Oshawa.
In Canada, he married his wonderful wife Staka (née Babic; 1926–2014) from Mazin in Lika. Dane was a grateful citizen of Canada but he never forgot his roots and remained faithful to Serbdom and Orthodoxy his entire life. He was an active member of the Ravna Gora Movement of Serbian Chetniks (Toronto chapter).
He was a founding member and a tutor of the Saint Arsenije Sremac Serbian Orthodox Church and School Congregation of Whitby. Due to his unselfish and untiring sacrifices and merit, Fr. Milovan Sredojevic (parish priest of the church in Whitby from 2010 to 2017) bestowed upon him the title of life-long Honorary President of the Church and School Congregation of Whitby.
Dane passed away in Scarborough, Toronto on February 27, 2020 during Great Lent.
Family, friends and acquaintances of Dane Orlich said their goodbyes to him on March 3, 2020 at Mount Lawn Funeral Home in Whitby. The opelo (requiem) was held the following day in the Saint Arsenije Sremac Church in Whitby. Afterwards, a speech was held by the parish priest Fr. Milos Puric who said that Dane was a wonderful man and a man full of love and kindness who loved God and all the people around him. Fr. Milos said that he would never forget the amount of joy and love Dane would greet him with when Fr. Milos would visit him and that Dane would be visibly joyful and excited that a priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church visited him. Fr. Milos said that he believes that Dane with his goodness and love earned eternal and everlasting life with God – life in which there is no sadness, suffering or pain. Fr. Milos also said that although it’s hard for us to say goodbye to him, we should also be joyful because he is now in an eternal and better life than we are.
At the request of Fr. Milos, the former President of the Church and School Congregation of Whitby Svetozar Jovanovic also held a short speech. Among other things, he mentioned Dane’s goodness and said that – although they didn’t have children of their own – Dane and Staka loved children and children loved them. He also thanked Dane’s former neighbours from Oshawa Frank and Lisa DiMalta who loved, respected and regularly visited him.
The funeral procession then left for the Holy Transfiguration Serbian Orthodox Monastery in Milton, Ontario where Dane was interred next to his wife Staka.
When saying goodbye to people, Dane would tell them not to change which was his personal way of emphasizing the uniqueness and value of every person. He was a gentle man of quiet nature and young spirit which is partly the reason his family and friends lovingly called him Danny Boy.
Cika Dane, may God rest your soul. Vecnaja pamjat!
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Remembering Dane Orlich
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Last updated on July 13, 2021.
Published by Urban Book Circle on March 24, 2020 Urban Book Circle® (UBC) |
· Edited by Djuradj “George” Vujcic, Danijela Kovacevic Mikic and Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic ·
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Jefimija “Mia” Vujcic ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Jefimija “Mia” Vujcic ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
