MIODRAG "MIKE" STANOJEVIC

MIODRAG "MIKE" STANOJEVIC, B.A. What do you say about a man that not only affected his family and friends so profoundly as well as everyone who drives in the Greater Toronto Area? Mike introduced the full phase flashing advanced green intersection traffic control system to Toronto affecting everyone that wanted to make a left hand turn. He was and will remain a strong presence in the lives of everyone he touched. He will be terribly missed by his wife of 44 years, Patricia Susan Bourchier Stanojevic (nee Anderson), his surviving daughter Snezana Stanojevic, his two grandsons Jesse Miodrag Wolford and Jeremy Branimir Wolford and his niece Milena Lilic (nee Stanojevic) and her family. He was predeceased by his only other child, Ljiljana Stanojevic, October 1944 - September 1945. He left us on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 in his 94th year. Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia on September 12, 1919, he attended the National Defense College there and majored in Transportation. In 1935, he achieved the status of Youth Chess Champion of Belgrade. When the Nazis marched into Yugoslavia, he worked tirelessly to defeat them and also endeavoured to combat the rise of Communism that ensued after the war. Finding employment at the Canadian Embassy in Belgrade, he served as an interpreter (being fluent in 5 languages) and Chief of the Local Staff. Given the opportunity, he immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1957 and was followed by his wife (Dragica Stanojevic) and young daughter in 1958. He retired from the Metropolitan Toronto Department of Roads and Traffic on February 29, 1988 after 30 years of service. In addition to his work for Metro Toronto, he was also a Life Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and lectured at the Universities of Toronto and Windsor and the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Kingston, Jamaica. At the age of 44 he went "back to school" and earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto with majors in History and Urban Geography in 1963. Having reached the Centre Forward position in the Second Soccer League of Belgrade in 1938, it is no wonder that he was active in refereeing soccer from 1977 until he "retired" at the age of 78 in 1997. In addition to soccer and chess, he and Pat enjoyed an active and interesting retirement, travelling through 9 provinces, 33 states, and 50 countries, including a cruise around the world. "Memories of Mike" will be held at the Old Mill Hotel, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto, Ontario M8X 1G5, on Saturday, April 13th from 2 to 4 p.m. A memorial tribute and interment will be held at St. James Anglican Church, 31 River Street, Sutton, Ontario, on Saturday, May 11th at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Heart & Stroke Foundation or the Anderson/Stanojevic Endowment Fund, Parish of Georgina, Box 88, Sutton, Ontario L0E 1R0. would be appreciated. Remembrances may be left on the Ward Funeral Home "Book of Memories Online Tribute" page at http://www.wardfh.com/book-of-memories/ 1524749/Stanojevic-Miodrag/index.php