Joe was born in Ceglje, Croatia on July 24, 1933 to Steven and Anne Gojsic. The youngest of four surviving siblings, Anne, Mike and Barbara. He grew up in the era of the 2nd World War in communist Yugoslavia. His outlook of freedom and adventure didn’t agree with his home country so he decided to leave and embark on a new life aboard. Joe and two other friends made their way to the border with Slovenia , swimming the Sava River to avoid check points, finally crossing into Austria. Spending a… Read More » year in a refugee camp, and eventually sponsored by the Catholic Church to immigrant to a non-communist country. Joe’s choices were Germany, France, England, Australia or Canada. He chose Canada because an Uncle of Mike Krlin (a fellow Refugee) was living in Thunder Bay, Ontario (Port Arthur). He left Europe by boat for Canada, arriving on June 24, 1958.
The 1st port of landing was Quebec City, but Joe didn’t want to get off the ship. Instead, he hid on the boat until they arrived in Montreal. A friend on the ship had borrowed his shoes to go dancing the night before and he didn’t return with them . From there he started his new life in the New World by registering with Immigration Canada, and then walking to a park close by with the other new arrivals to figure out what was the next step, he was on his own. His friend Mike Krlin was on his way to Thunder Bay (Port Arthur), his train ticket paid by his uncle. Joe had a 1/2 pack of cigarettes and a few dollars in his pocket, not enough to buy a train ticket to Thunder Bay. In town there wasn’t any jobs for him so he worked as a labourer for a farmer in the countryside. This was the type of work he didn’t like doing back home, but it was a means to an end. He figured out how much the train ticket was to Thunder Bay (Port Arthur) and how many days he needed to work until he had that amount. With that goal in mind he worked several months to earn enough money to make the trip. Of his experience on the farm, the farmer and his daughters didn’t want him to leave 😉
When he finally arrived at the Lakehead, there wasn’t work to be found in town, and winter was approaching. Joe took a job in Flin Flon, Manitoba that fall, and almost froze to death. When the crew got their 1st pay cheque, they headed to Winnipeg to buy winter jackets. He couldn’t believe that a place could get so cold. There were other jobs that he would talk about. A mining job near Lake Nipigen, shoring up the ceiling of a mine with another guy deep under ground. The two of them were working together one day talking as usual when the ceiling fell in on his co-worker, that experience told Joe that mining wasn’t in his future and he promptly left the mine never to return.
He went to work in logging camps, building roads, a paper-mill, longshoreman, but finally settled down as a carpenter. Joe worked on many projects during these years, building houses, office buildings, dams, even working on West Edmonton Mall.
Though he enjoyed working he also enjoyed his time off, and when the projects were done, he would take time to socialize with his friends. He could always be found at Mike Krlin’s place or at the Italian Hall across the street having a few beers.
Joe often worked out of town, but he would return on weekends. There would be dances held at the Slovak hall on the weekend and he would be on the dance floor enjoying his time off. He often told how he would ask his future wife Anne Waplak for coffee after the dances but she wouldn’t go out with him. After 5 years of asking, she finally accepted his offer for coffee, most likely his English improved enough that they could have a conversation. Eventually on May 30, 1964 they were married at St Andrew Roman Catholic Church. Soon afterwards they started their family, with Steven arriving in October 10, 1964. They were living on Banning St at that time in an apartment. When they were expecting their second child, Joe started searching for a house to buy. He found the house on Ray Blvd but didn’t have enough to buy it, so he borrowed the rest of the money from Mike Waplak (Anne’s Uncle) and Ivan Gojsic ( Mike Krlin’s Uncle) to buy the home. Michael was born on Sept 13, 1967 and 1 month later they moved into their new home at 233 Ray Blvd. They raised their family in that house, and as money permitted, renovated the 2 bedroom house and making it a home.
Joe loved his family and never forgot his homeland Croatia. One year, his Mother mentioned in a letter how nice it would be to see her youngest child again. And with little thought of what might happen to him or how much it would cost, he arrived on Christmas Eve at his brother’s house in Croatia, to the great surprise and joy of the whole family. During that visit, his niece Marica (Barbara’s daughter) and husband Mike Jurcic expressed an interest to come to Canada. When Joe returned he made arrangements to sponsor them so they could immigrant. They arrived in Thunder Bay some time later with their son Morinko to start their new life in Canada.
As the years past, their sons moved out, and it came time to retire. They decided to move to BC to a climate more like Joe’s homeland. Their son Mike was already living on the coast and when they had visited him, looked at possible places to live. When they finally made the move in 1992 they chose the Okanagan Valley, and purchased a home in Penticton. Joe kept himself busy with his new home, renovating not just the inside but planted gardens and fruit trees all around the property. Up early in the morning to water on hot Okanagan summer days, Joe developed a green thumb. Though he hated working on the farm as a child, he enjoyed watching what he planted grow. He tended to his gardens with great care. They enjoyed all types of vegetables, flowers and fruit. When Joe was in his 70’s he thought of slowing down from his gardening and sold that house and moved into a condo with Anne.
After they moved into their condo, the grandchildren began arriving. Their son Mike and wife Hiroko had three sons, oldest Hiroki Joseph, Kanjyu Thomas and the youngest, Kanta Lucas. Joe enjoyed their visits, taking his grandchildren to the park and walking with them. There was always laughter at the diner table when they came for a visit at Baba and Dido’s place.
The last few years Joe started to slow down, the stories of his life were not shared after diner over wine, and he began to become quieter. Those close to him, didn’t want to, or didn’t realize that dementia was setting in, but in the last year he wasn’t the same. His wife Anne looked after him at their home up until his last few weeks. When things became unmanageable, he went into the hospital. True to Joe character, he never liked eating out and refused to eat the hospital food. As the time in hospital passed by, Joe became progressively weaker and weaker. On July 10, 2018 at 8:30AM, we received that call that Joe’s heart stopped in his sleep. Dad passed away at Penticton Regional Hospital.
As with any recounting of a story there are details missing or forgotten. Joe had many neices and nephews and cousins in Canada and Europe, as well as brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws that haven’t been mentioned on bothsides of the family. Please Forgive me for not mentioning you by name.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Joseph Gojsic July 24 1933 July 10 2018.source
Décès pour la Ville: Penticton, Province: Colombie britanique