PETER ERCEGOVAC

Peter Ercegovac was born on October 26, 1933, in Gracac, Lika, Yugoslavia, to Nikola and Andjela Ercegovac. Though his birth year was mistakenly recorded as 1934, Peter proudly celebrated his true date. The youngest of seven children, he grew up surrounded by his sisters Zora, Ljuba, Duda, Milena, Smilja, and Desa. The family endured profound loss: Milena and Smilja passed away from cancer shortly after World War II, and little Desa died of meningitis at age five while the family was held in a concentration camp during the war.

Peter is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Maria; his daughter Ana; and grandchildren Rachel, Jason Jr., Roark, and Peter Jones. He is also survived by his niece Andjelka and her daughter, Aleksandra.

Peter spent his early childhood in the village of Karadordevo near Backa Topola in Vojvodina. During World War II, he and the entire village were forcibly taken to the Sárvár Nazi concentration camp, where he lived from age seven to twelve. After the war, he attended trade school, first training as a movie projectionist and later as a machinist—discovering a lifelong passion for working with metal. He was drafted into the Yugoslav army, where he served as a sergeant in a tank division.

Amid political upheaval and limited opportunities at home, Peter made the courageous decision to leave Yugoslavia. He and two close friends planned to cross the Adriatic Sea to reach Italy, knowing that those attempting to escape by land were being summarily shot by border guards. Their small boat was battered by enormous waves, took on water, and eventually sank. After a harrowing seventeen hours adrift, an Italian fishing vessel miraculously spotted the three young men and pulled them aboard, offering them bread and wine.

They were taken to a refugee camp for political refugees from Yugoslavia. Peter later escaped the camp with a friend, following a dangerous smugglers’ route over the Alps and walking into southern France. His parents and family knew nothing of his plan until he safely reached France.

He lived in Nice and then Paris, becoming fluent in French, before emigrating to Toronto, Canada, in September 1960.

Peter married Maria on June 15, 1963, and their daughter was born the following year. He built a long and accomplished career as a machinist—first in heavy industry, then in defense, and ultimately in the entertainment industry. At JL Fisher, he spent twenty years designing, developing, and manufacturing camera equipment for film and television, retiring at age seventy-eight in 2012.

In Canada, Peter moved his family to a 68-acre farm before relocating to Los Angeles in 1979. He was a tireless worker, always taking overtime shifts and spending weekends building, repairing,

and creating—whether tending the farm or transforming his backyard in Los Angeles with bricks, rebar, and concrete, guided only by his own hands, a shovel, a level, and a wheelbarrow.

Peter cherished his family and maintained lifelong friendships in both Canada and the United States. He and Maria loved hosting gatherings and attending celebrations with their wide circle of friends. He was a devoted member of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in San Gabriel, California.

He enjoyed traveling with family and friends, visiting his daughter’s family in Georgia, and he never passed up the chance to visit a casino. In retirement, he found joy and peace spending time in his backyard in Granada Hills.

Peter’s life was marked by resilience, craftsmanship, loyalty, and love. His memory will be treasured by all who knew him.