Nada Grubor

Nada Roselle Grubor Obituary

Nada Roselle Grubor, 83, of Birmingham, Michigan, passed away on December 8, 2025.

Nada was born in Highland Park, to two hard working immigrants from the former Yugoslavia. Her father Arthur Mark Sertich was a notable Croatian-American artist and her mother Roselle Irek Sertich a Secretary of the Croatia Fraternal Union Zora Lodge and committed to volunteer work her whole life. She was a sister to Mark Gregory Sertich.

Nada was also the devoted mother of Aleksandra (Sasha) Roselene Grubor and Milena Sertich-Grubor Thomas and her love for her daughters was one of the central forces of her life. She was the loving grandmother to Cordelia Roselle Thomas, Milan Howard Thomas, Howard Paul Thomas, Alessandro Mile Parilli and Luca Maximus Parilli. She is also survived by Michael Howard Thomas, who was a devoted presence in her life. She was preceded in death by her long-time husband Mile Grubor. She was a significant support to her nieces and nephews Anne Sertich, Stefanie Sertich, and Mark Sertich, Jr., Vladimir Bucalo, and Milan Bucalo who were greatly impacted by her love and dedication as an Auntie and Teta.

Nada was dedicated to passing on the Croatian culture to her daughters and grandchildren. A gifted musician and pianist, Nada carried a deep and abiding love for Croatian culture, music, history, and language that was lovingly instilled in her by her parents and remained a guiding thread throughout her life.

Her love of Europe didn't end with her roots. After attending Shine of the Little Flower Grade School, University of Detroit High School, and Wayne State for college, she went abroad to further her studies in France where she immersed herself in Parisian culture and language. Even to always wearing a cherished Parisian necklace into her 80s.

Nada was an award-winning English language arts teacher, beloved by her students at Detroit Country Day School. Not only did Nada teach English but she periodically also taught an etiquette and manners class. Her daughters will always remember being reminded at the dinner table "What if you were having tea with the Queen?"

Nada was a self-professed seeker and "truth-teller" by nature. She spent countless hours in bookstores, attending lectures and seminars, and engaging in long, thoughtful conversations with friends (and with strangers who rarely remained strangers for long). She was endlessly curious about people, ideas, and what it truly meant to understand one another.

Hospitality came naturally to her. Her home, her table, and her attention were always open. If you called Nada - day or night - you would be met with a listening ear and thoughtful advice.

She was witty, candid, and unafraid to speak her mind. She could be disarmingly direct, but never dull. Her generosity was expansive and sincere, given freely and often instinctively. Guided by a deep sense of care for others, more than one person (students and friends) has described Nada as someone who 'changed their life'.

Nada filled rooms with her beautiful presence, her humor, her intelligence, her warmth. She leaves behind a legacy of connection, conversation, music, and love that will continue to live on in all who knew her.

Our hearts are heavy and she will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial donations be made to the Groves High School Performing Arts program as Nada was a lifelong lover and supporter of the arts in which her children, nieces and grandchildren participated.

https://grovesperformingartscompany.ludus.com/donate.php