MAXIMILLIAN (MILAN) FRUMEN

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MAXIMILLIAN (MILAN) FRUMEN August 29, 1923 - April 13, 2014 With much sadness we say goodbye to our beloved husband, father "Ata", grandfather and great-grandfather. Ata passed away peacefully with family at his side. He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 63 years, Emma; his children, Ema Lenio (Tom), Helen Floresco and Josef Frumen; his grandchildren, Jonas and Eli (Trisha) Lenio, Aaron (Rhonda) and Sean (Jessica) Floresco, Chris Demeria, Jessica (Wade) Klippenstein, Jaclyn (Nelson), Jill (Kevin), Adamik and Alex Frumen; his great-grandchildren, Tasha, Maximillian, Milo, Sebastian, and Vincent, and his many friends. Ata was born in Maribor, Yugoslavia and grew up in St. Jurij, Yugoslavia. During the Second World War, while employed in Germany, he was arrested for sharing his rations with Ukrainian forced labourers. During a commotion, he escaped from a prisoner train and fled to Hungary. That's where he met Emma in 1943. The two married in 1951. With their children, they defected in 1957, travelling first to Austria where they lived in a refugee camp for six months. In January of 1958, the family journeyed to Canada by ship, settling in Winnipeg. Ata was a skilled and hard worker. He and Emma renovated two houses on Grove Street. They also built and meticulously maintained a cottage in Whitesands Estates, which later became their retirement home. Ata enjoyed winemaking, fishing, horseshoes, mushroom picking, vegetable gardening, and caring for his fruit trees. He also liked playing cards and chess - he was very competitive and tough to beat. Ata enjoyed watching sports - hockey and wrestling were his favourites. He loved to travel. He was fortunate to visit Slovenia on multiple occasions. Ata was very generous, visitors never left empty-handed. He was happiest when surrounded by family and friends. Their home was the site of many family gatherings. Viewing will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, with service to follow at 12:00 noon in the Gilbart Funeral Chapel, Selkirk. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Lung Association may be made in Ata's memory. Funeral arrangements are in care of Gilbart Funeral Home, 309 Eveline Street, Selkirk, Manitoba. www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 17, 2014