I'm so sad that I can't be with you to celebrate Uncle Steve's and Mary Ann's life. First of all, I would like to offer you and your family our deepest and most sincere condolences. A good heart has stopped beating, a good soul ascended to heaven. I am honoured and blessed to have known uncle Steve. Since I was a little girl, my mother Kata spoke about him and his big heart. She often said, if uncle Steve wasn't so family oriented, open hearted and generous we would be hungry, barefoot and naked. He was supporting his family his hole life, financial but also with his positive attitude and wisdom. He help his sister Kata so she could raise her 6 children and then their children (Katas grandchildren) and aunt Mara during her time in Konjic and in her sickness living with us. He wasn't only helping his closest family members, when ever he heard that someone needed help, he generously gifted money and helpful packages. He was very thoughtful and wrote/called often to check on all of us. It doesn't seem that he was so far away because he was so involved into our life's and he was interested to be a part of it. He had a big heart and all of us found a place in uncle's heart! Uncle Steve, with your kindness and selflessness during your life, you built yourself a home in heaven and we believe you are there and finally united with Mary Ann, your sisters, brother Pero and your parents. Life wasn't easy for you: war, escape to survive, struggle for existence in a foreign country far away from family, starting your own family without any help and support...but you won every battle and came out wiser, stronger, joyful, with greater faith in God and his guidance and a bigger heart for people in need. We are so blessed and happy that you are a part of our life's. That God gifted us with your presence. You were a role model for us and shaped our characters to serve others in need, to be selfless and to believe in God. You shown us how to live our religion and how nothing is to hard if you do it with joy and open heart. Dear aunt Kate, Stanic family and friends, don't be sad for uncle Steve leaving us. You should be joyful that God gave us the opportunity to be surrounded by uncle Steve all these years. He really changed many lives and left a big footprint on this world. Because of his acts of kindness and wise words, he will never be forgotten. He was truly a blessing in our life and we will miss him. Two beautiful souls, full of love and faith, ascended to heaven, away from us, but closer to God. May the souls of uncle Steve and Mary Ann rest in peace. Until we meet again, we will carry you in our heart. Steves niece, Sladana Culjak and her family.