Anton Goldasich

It is with deep sadness our family announces the death of our father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather Mr. Anton Francis Goldasich on April 16, 2008, at the age of 97 years.

He was born in Zagreb, Yugoslavia on January 2, 1912. He came with his family to the United States in 1922 at 10 years of age to escape his war ravaged country during World War 1. His family settled in Livingston, Illinois. They purchased land, built a home, and farmed the land. There was a Yugoslavian enclave in Livingston to support all new immigrants to the area. He left home as a young man during the Great Depression and worked at CCC camps and became a professional boxer for a time. He even rode the rails as a hobo to survive the jobless conditions of our country during those economically challenged years.

He eventually joined ther United States Coast Gaurd and served 4 years as a USCG Boatswain's Mate second class. He served in World War 11 in the Pacific and Atlantic Theaters as well as the Mediterranean off the coast of Africa.

He met his wife, Celia Quinn, Miami, Florida and then to Cocoa Beach, Florida, where their daughter resided. After 53 years of marriage, when his beloved wife, Celia, died, he moved, again, to his daughter's home in Blue Ridge, Georgia, where she had relocated with her husband, Donald Fields.

His lifelong interest was reading where he found the ability to learn and travel the world from his arm chair. Baseball was in his soul, and he followed it from the Little League teams all the way up to the professional leagues. His faith in God was his cornerstone and saw him through all the hardships as well as the joys he encountered traveling this journey of his life. He was a devoted member of the Roman Catholic Church the entire breadth of his time in this world.

In the year 2000, he moved into the Armed Forces Home in Washington, DC. He made it his home until his death. He had three siblings who predeceased him, two sisters: Barbara Shafer of Chicago, Illinois, and Mary Donovan of Boston, Massachusetts, and a brother, John Goldasich of Granite City, Illinois. He leaves one child, his daughter, Julia Fields of Blue Ridge, Georgia and three grandchildren: Theresa Mazziotti of Blue Ridge, Georgia; Michelle Shafaat of Orlando, Florida and Michael Waranis, serving in the US Navy, stationed in Virginia Beach, Virgina. He has four great-grandchildren: Mathew Mazziotti of Merritt island, Florida; Faysal Shafaat, Alia Shafaat, and Imran Shafaat all of Orlando, Florida.

Cochran Funeral Home of Blue Ridge, Georgia is in charge of arrangements. There will be a funeral Mass offered at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Blue Ridge, Georgia on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 11:00 am offered by Father John Conway with Deacon John Mason assisting. Interment will follow at the Big Creek Church Cemetery in Blue Ridge, Georgia alongside his wife Celia.

Serving as pallbearers are: MMC Michael Waranis, III, Ric Granda, Dave Schmidt, Russell Cornell, George Roberson, and Ray King.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to St. Anthony's for Masses to be said for Anton Goldasich. The address is St. Anthony Catholic Church 967 Main Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513, telephone number 706-632-5970.