We remember Budimka Djurdjevic, whose spirit departed from us on November 02, 2024 at the age of 85. Born on May 02, 1939 in Velike Pcelice, Kragujevac to her parents Dragoslav and Milostija (Dimitrijevic) Djurdjevic, she then immigrated to America where she spent the bulk of her life in the Chicagoland area, until finally making the decision to move to Texas due to various health concerns. Budimka was a beacon of unwavering friendship and kindness and left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know her.
As one of 7 children, she is survived by her siblings Milica, Milan, and Miodrag and was preceded in death by Milovan, Rajna, and Bosiljka. She is survived by her two daughters Jasmina and Suzana, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a multitude of friends and extended family.
Jasmina’s sons Michael, Timothy, and Matthew with wife Kathryn along with great grandchildren Colin, Liam, and Owen mourn her passing. However, she was preceded in death by her grandson Christopher who was her partner in crime at the slot machines and great-granddaughter Christine Grace, her little angel.
Moving to Texas was one of the hardest decisions she ever made because of how independent she had always been. Leaving everyone and everything she had known for the last 50+ years was hard to bear. Being the tough lady that she was, she persevered wearing her heart on her sleeve. Budimka quickly made new friends, experienced so many new things, gardened to hearts content, and even fell in love with her best 4-legged friend Leeloo. Thankfully she was able to spend the last 5 years in the care of Suzana, her husband Julian, and their daughters Andjelina, Jacqueline, and Katerina who deeply mourn her loss.
Family, friends, and having a good time were the things she cherished most. She was the life of the party and always willing to lend a helping hand, even for those she knew only briefly. Her Texas friends all lovingly called her Baba because of the huge impact she had upon them. No one could ever say no when it was time to do a shot of rakija. Throughout the years, she was someone you could count on to be in your corner and was willing to fight all your battles alongside you.
Always hard-working, she never missed a day of work at Reynolds Aluminum and continued to work even after retirement. Budimka was not one of those people who could sit at home doing nothing. Whether it be driving someone to the grocery store, making a 10-course meal when someone just dropped by, making a huge batch of waffle cookies (Babine Kolaci), or rushing off to support a loved one, you knew you could count on her. Of course, she never passed up an opportunity to get all dressed up to celebrate or for no reason at all. Her giving spirit didn’t stop her from knitting sweaters, booties, or scarves, even during the hot Texas summers, which she would hand out to everyone along with her ever-growing supply of Christmas cacti.
Today, we say farewell to our beloved mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. Cherish your memories of her, remember the impact she had upon you, and strive to live life to the fullest as she did. Amidst our grief and sorrow, knowing that she is finally at peace, has been welcomed with open arms by all those that preceded her, and that one day we will all be reunited with the ones we love.
Visitation will be held on Monday, November 11 th , 2024, from 10:30-11:30 am at New Gracanica Serbian Monastery, 35240 W. Grant Avenue, Lake Villa, IL 60046. The Funeral Service will begin at 11:30 am with burial at New Gracanica Serbian Orthodox Cemetery. Once the services have been completed, all attendees are invited to join us for a luncheon (Daca) at the church hall.
For those of you unable to attend, you are welcome to send flowers and to make things easier, please use Lofendo’s Flowers, 630-675-1400. If you prefer, you can send a sympathy card instead to:
Suzana Sunkle-Thorpe at 42 Windsor Drive, Rockwall, TX 75032.
