Julio Bizecki

Watch Live Stream of Service at

https://www.ustream.tv/embed/21852247?html5ui

Julije “Julio” Bizecki was born on November 8, 1936 in the rural community of Bizek, part of the city of Zagreb, Croatia to Ivan and Katica.  Julije attended trade school in Zagreb and became a millwright then served in the military from 1955 to 1957.  In 1960, he was jailed for trying to escape from the Communists.  He made a second attempt at escape, which was successful, and was placed in a refugee camp in Italy for one year. In August of 1961, he immigrated to Canada, being sponsored by his brother in Saskatoon.   Eventually, he was hired at Sask Power in 1964 where he would work for thirty-two years.  Julio married Patricia Stankowski in 1966 and they had three daughters together.  Julio was a loving, devoted, and protective husband and father, determined to provide a prosperous and stable life for his family.  He enjoyed the simple things in life like a good home cooked meal with friends and family and a game of cards.  He also greatly enjoyed nature and travelling.  His great love and patriotism for Croatia was planted deeply into his children’s hearts. Julio died on June 17, 2020 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s Disease, and is survived by his wife of fifty-three years, Patricia; daughters Linda (Boris) Simicic, Maria (Peter) Porcellato and Diana (Sean) Robson; grandchildren Jared and Katelin Simicic;  Gabriel, Samuel, Miriam, Felix and Ambrose Porcellato; and Elena Robson.  He also leaves behind his brother Zeljko (Ana) Bizecki, niece and nephew Susan and Steven, and his sister Milica (Milan) Mihalinec and niece Sanja.  A private family service will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 10:00 am and will be live-streamed via the tribute page link at the top of this obituary.

Dad’s last wish before he passed away was to watch the movie and listen to the beautiful song he called “Mama Huanita”.  He was able to do that  during his last days, as he listened to and watched the movie clips and listened to the songs in Croatian and Spanish of  “Jedan Dan Zivota” (“Un Dia De Vida” in Spanish).  “Mama Huanita” is actually a Mexican song called "

Las Mañanitas

”. The song is a part of the Mexican culture, where they have sung this in place of the Happy Birthday song since 1845.

Las Mañanitas

is a traditional song in Spanish that Mexicans sing to honor a loved one on their birthday or All Saint's Day, and it is also sung on other important holidays, such as Mother's Day and the feast day of

Our Lady of Guadalupe

. All Mexicans know this song, and now you will too. Dad always loved mariachi music, and now we know why.

Here it is in Spanish with Croatian subtitles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ump6pQL0F_M

Here is a song about passing away by one of Julije’s favorite Croatian singers, KRUNOSLAV KIĆO SLABINAC - OTIŠ'O JE S MIRISIMA JUTRA.  Thank you Vlado for passing this beautiful, sad song to share our love for Julije.

Link on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL9Npmao854

Here are the words in Croatian and English:

Još i danas sve me na njeg sjeti,

Stari šešir visi pokraj vrata.

I što mati znala mi je reći,

Bog je dao srce mu od zlata.

Još i danas čujem one riječi,

Samo dobre Bog na kraju čeka.

Zato sine od svih mojih riječi,

Nek u srcu ostane bar neka.

Otiš'o je otac moj polako,

Otiš'o je stazom što vijuga.

Pratile ga neke stare pjesme,

Sve do rijeke kojom teče tuga.

Otiš'o je pjetli kad se bude,

Kao da u šetnju nekud kreće.

Otiš'o je s mirisima jutra,

Da l' je znao da se vratit neće.

Rasulo se jutro kroz ravnicu,

Sve je tu a njega nema više.

Tuga ušla tamburi kroz žicu,

I k'o da su pjesme sada tiše.

Još i danas čujem one riječi,

Samo dobre Bog na kraju čeka.

Zato sine od svih mojih riječi,

Nek u srcu ostane bar neka.

Even today, everything reminds me of him,

An old hat hangs by the door.

And what my mother used to tell me,

God gave him a heart of gold.

I still hear those words today,

Only the good ones God is waiting in the end.

Therefore, son of all my words,

Let at least some remain in the heart.

My father is gone slowly,

He went down a winding path.

It was accompanied by some old songs,

All the way to the River where the sadness flows.

He is gone when the roosters wake up,

It's like he's going for a walk somewhere.

He left with the scents of the morning,

Did he know he wouldn't come back.

The morning scattered across the plain,

Everything is there and he is gone.

Grief entered the tambourine through the wire,

And as if the songs are quieter now.

I still hear those words today,

Only good God is waiting in the end.

Therefore, son of all my words,

Let at least some remain in the heart