Mirko Markotic was born on 08/17/1951 in Grab, Bosnia-Herzegovina. After a childhood of hunger, working hard and raising his younger siblings he left the former Yugoslavia and spent a year working in Austria to help support his family. He emigrated to Chicago, Illinois in August of 1970.
Mirko enlisted in the US Army on 12/31/1976. While in the US Army, Mirko naturalized to a US Citizen on 11/7/1978. Upon discharge from the Army, he enjoyed his life in Chicago, playing semi-professional soccer, spending time with family and most importantly the freedoms of living in the USA.
May 15, 1980 was a fateful day when Mirko was arrested in Zagreb, Croatia (former Yugoslavia) while traveling to his younger brother’s wedding in Grab. He was charged with anti-Yugoslavia propaganda activity for his presence at a demonstration in Chicago one week earlier. The court decision was guilty.
The courts placed a sentence of 11 years. Mirko became a political prisoner of the US upon imprisonment in a Yugoslavian jail. With the work of the US Foreign Relations Committee, Luka Markotic (cousin) and his mother, Ruza Vujevic Markotic, he was freed and returned to Chicago, Illinois on 1/14/1981. Later that year he met his wife Linda (Kvorka) Markotic.
Together they raised three beautiful children, Rose, Marko and James Markotic. Mirko worked for the US Post Office in suburban Chicago and San Diego,California for 30 years. In 2014 after one year of retirement, Mirko would face one of his hardest challenges in life, a rare cancer. Following extensive surgery he enjoyed 6 years of remission where he traveled, golfed, fished and time spent with family and friends.
Mirko loved watching the NFL, NHL, and International Football (soccer). His family often joined him while watching the games. He loved his crossword puzzles, the Jumbo and Sudoku. Mirko was a life force and a person you should meet in your lifetime. He is pre-deceased by his parents, Blaz and Ruza Markotic.
He is survived by his wife Linda Markotic, children Rose Markotic, son-in-law Giovanni Valdenegro, Marko Markotic and James Markotic. His grandsons Luka and Alessandro Valdenegro survive him. Mirko’s siblings, Vila, Vlasta, Ivan, Vera, Milenka, Slobodan and Marko Markotic survive him. The family wishes to thank Mission Hospice of San Diego for their care of Mirko.
