Anthony Andro Rukavina

Anthony Andro Rukavina, a proud lifetime resident of San Pedro, CA, passed away at home from asbestosis-related lung cancer on Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on June 11, 1925 to Croatian immigrants, the late Ivan and Winifred (Tomich) Rukavina. Also preceding him in death are his sister Katherine and brother John, just 11 days before. The two brothers shared their love of the harbor and the sea, and now both their anchors have been hoisted. Anthony was a devoted and kind family man who is survived by Stella, his loving wife of 61 years; daughters, Andrea and husband, Dan Hegybeli and Janet and husband, Jim Binns; son, Anthony T. Rukavina and wife, Suzanne; eight grandchildren: Shannon (Frank Uribe), Brendan, Kyle, Maureen and Meaghan Binns, Anthony T. Rukavina, Jr., Faith and Jacqueline Shirley; and four great-grandchildren; close in-laws, dear cousins and numerous special nieces and nephews. He loved nothing more than to be surrounded by his family at the dining table sharing his heritage and life experiences. During WWII Anthony served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. He was a former commercial fisherman and retired boiler engineer from an oil refinery, who championed worker safety and rights. Anthony had many lifetime friends and numerous ties to the San Pedro community, including, longtime member of the Dalmatian-American Club and Wednesday Club. Unfortunately, during his late life he suffered with a rare debilitating skin disorder called Bullous Pemphigoid. The family is requesting in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in his memory to the International Pemphigoid Pemphigus Foundation (IPPF) www.pemphigus.org, 2701 Cottage Way, #16, Sacramento, CA 65825. A funeral Mass will be offered on Saturday, April 30, 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with interment to follow at Green Hills Memorial Park. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 29, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., with a vigil service at 7:00 p.m. at McNerney's Mortuary