Emily Elizabeth Pavelic

Emily was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and passed away at the age of 93 in Mequon Wisconsin, Story Point Memory Care. She is survived by her son Peter Pavelic (Grafton WI); daughter Tina Pavelic and her husband Steven Roti (Bend OR); grandson Nicholas and his husband Josh, grandson Alex; granddaughter Elizabeth; and first cousin Dusha.

Emily is preceded in death by her father Daniel Roknich (2001); mother Elizabeth Roknich (2004); husband Vjekoslav Pavelic (2012); and daughter-in-law Margaret Pavelic (2022).

Emily's parents moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1920's from the former Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and she was their only child. Emily remembers being able to outrun many of the kids in her neighborhood when she was in grade school and taking piano lessons from her neighbor. Education was very important to the family. Emily proudly graduated from West Allis Central High School in 1949 and the University of Wisconsin Pharmacy school in 1953. Emily was a woman pioneer in her profession and one of six women in her class of 60 pharmacy students. Emily enjoyed the campus life in Elizabeth (Liz) Waters Residence Hall and played bridge with her girlfriends.

Emily spoke a little Croatian and her parents offered her a trip to Europe as a graduation gift. Emily visited relatives in the former Yugoslavia and met a young engineer on an Adriatic ferry and fell in love. She wrote letters to her sweetheart for a year and returned the following summer. Emily married Vjekoslav Pavelic August 2, 1954, in Dubrovnik Croatia and brought him to West Allis WI in 1955. They had two children together. Emily supported the family working as a hospital pharmacist first at Milwaukee Lutheran Hospital in Milwaukee, and then at the University Hospital and Clinics in Madison while Vjek was pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin. The family returned to the Milwaukee area and Emily worked at Columbia Hospital. Emily retired in 1990 after 37 years as a hospital pharmacist. She had many fond memories of her colleagues and their contributions to the profession of clinical pharmacy.

Emily and family moved to Elm Grove WI in 1969 for the Elmbrook School District and to be close to her parents Dan and Elizabeth in West Allis. Emily and Vjek were avid members of the Elm Grove Tennis Club, Brookfield Tennis Club, Vagabond Ski & Social Club, and bridge club. The family attended Mt Zion Lutheran Church. Emily showed love through homemaking and entertaining. Emily cooked and baked elaborate meals for her family and friends and passed the recipes down to her children. The sounds of her favorite public radio station WHA were forever playing in the background while she was doing her household chores. Emily read the Milwaukee Journal daily for current events and watched Amanpour & Company on PBS. As an adult Emily learned how to camp, canoe, ski, play tennis, play golf, listen to opera and ballroom dance. She travelled to over 60 countries for leisure and followed Vjek to international engineering conferences. They hosted many international students and visitors. Emily and Vjek were snowbirds and enjoyed spending winters in Indian Rocks Beach Florida. Emily lived in her Elm Grove house for 50+ years and in 2018 she moved to senior living in Grafton WI to be closer to Peter.

Emily was an only child but was blessed with children, grandchildren, first cousin Dusha, and lifelong friends. Thank you for being a part of her history. Please join us for Emily's Celebration of Life on October 18th at 11 AM visitation and 12 Noon remembrance: at Becker-Ritter Funeral 14075 W North Ave, Brookfield, WI 53005. The final resting place of Emily's ashes will be placed at a later date next to Vjek at Wisconsin Memorial Park. in Brookfield WI.

In memory of Emily please consider donating to:

• Wisconsin Public Radio

• PBS Wisconsin

Please RSVP Peter if you are planning on attending to email: peter.pavelic@gmail.com

Thank you for all your love and blessings!