Otilija Radovich

PHOENIX – Otilija Radovich, nee Kulik, 87, of Phoenix, AZ (formerly Middleton, WI), passed away peacefully on July 30, 2018, after a short illness.

Otilija was born on Feb. 19, 1931, in Zagreb, Croatia, to Josip and Marija Kulik. Her willful, strong and independent spirit helped her overcome growing up during the hardships of war. She earned a Ph.D. in political economics from the University of Zagreb before emigrating to the U.S. in the late 1950s. She settled in San Pedro, CA, and then Milwaukee, WI, where she met and married Milan Radovich. Otilija proudly became a citizen in 1966 and was forever grateful to live in a country where freedom is paramount. Otilija and Milan moved to Middleton where they raised three children. She worked as an accountant for the American Cancer Society for 14 years, before retiring in 1992 and relocating to Phoenix in 2002. Otilija was an avid reader, enjoyed swimming, trips to Las Vegas, and once successfully went down an Olympic ski-jump on a dare.

Otilija was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Milan Radovich; son George Radovich of Middleton, WI; daughters Natasha Blascuk of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Mira Radovich (Marlon Garcia) of Tempe, AZ; sister Karmela Raic and nephew Hrvoje Raic of Zagreb; and many other relatives and friends. The family thanks Sage Hospice and Serenity Assisted Living for their loving care and amazing support of Otilija on her final journey.