In Celebration of

Ruza Kozar

SEPTEMBER 6, 1926 - JULY 20, 2017

It is with great sorrow that we announce the sudden, yet peaceful passing of Ruza "Rose" Kozar on Thursday July 20, 2017 at the Hamilton General Hospital in her 91st year. She leaves behind her Husband Josip. Cherished Mother of Donna and Joe Kozar, and Grandmother of Nadia. Loving Aunt to Steve Kozar, Maria Novakovic, and family in Croatia. After immigrating to Canada in 1970, Rose spent her time working hard to support the ones she loved and was a proud caregiver at Montgomery lodge. She was a friend, confidant and peacemaker to everyone she met and will be dearly missed especially by her children. A special thank you to all the friends and family that spent time with her in the hospital over this past month, it was truly appreciated. Visitation at Bay Gardens Funeral Home - "William J. Markey Chapel", 947 Rymal Road East, HAMILTON (905.574.0405) on Sunday July 23rd from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. and from 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. A Funeral Service will be held in the chapel on Tuesday, July 25th at 10:00 am, followed by Entombment at Resurrection Cemetery. Please sign the Online Book of Condolences at www.baygardens.ca

Guestbook 

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Roman & Jo Ann Godlewski (Friend)

Entered July 21, 2017 from Brantford, Ontario N3T-0B6

We both would like to send our condolences to Donna, Joe and family. We have known Donna and Joe for a long time. My daughter did her co-op with Donna for her 40 hours community service. So we have known them for awhile. My daughter Shannon also had worked for Joe and Steve as a P.S.W. We send our love to all of you. Now she is at rest with God and at peace god bless. ❤️😘

Mico and Dusanka Balac (Friends)

Entered July 22, 2017 from Hamilton

We would like to send our condolences to Donna and Family.
We wish to send our Love to all of you.
May she rest in Peace.

Margaret France (Friend)

Entered July 22, 2017 from Hamilton

She will be sadly missed at Montgomery Lodge. I will miss our chats outside on our bench as well as her laugh and hugs.
LOVE TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Staff and residents of Montgomery Lodge (Rose extended family.)

Entered July 22, 2017 from 1605 Main St. E.

We will miss her visits. Our sincere regards to a special lady. Donna.

Joe Juras (Friends ,from Croatia)

Entered July 22, 2017 from Indiana and florida, USA and Croatia.

Neka Visnji Gospodin Gog nasoj dragoj Ruzi podijeli mir I blagoslov u raju Nebeskom
Pocivala u miru Bozjem., a obitelji nase duboko saucesce.
Joe i obitelj Juras.

Life Stories 

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Donna Kozar (Daughter)

Entered July 24, 2017

Ruza or Rose as she is known by everyone was born in Yugoslavia , now known as Croatia. She lived in German occupied Yugoslavia during WWII. She was 16 when she was forced to go and work on the rail roads during the war. All the young men were sent off to war and killed including her boyfriend at the time, so the only men left ere the younger ones. She married Josip Kozar, her current husband at the age of 28..which was late at that time. My dad used to tell me he was attracted to her because she was such a hard worker. Her husband used to to to work seasonally in Austria, while she raised the children on her own.

She immigrated to Canada with her husband and 2 children Joe and Donna in 1970 with $300, 4 suitcases, no English and started life over at the age of 44. Can you imagine starting life at 44? The family's flight was paid for by the Canadian Red Cross, to whom they made religiously monthly installments of $44 until the entire amount of the air flight was paid in full. She sacrificed everything for her children to come to Canada. She left her parents, siblings, family home all belongings, and everyone and everything she knew behind so her children could get an education, something that at the time in communist Yugoslavia was offered only to the diplomats, individuals high in the Yugoslavian army, so that her children wouldn't have to labour like she did. Education was important to her, something she could not have herself. She had the benefit of a grade four education. I believe that was all that was offered at the time as children were required to work in the fields. I can just imagine what she could have accomplished had she had the benefit of an education. She was a very smart, and wise woman, a confidant to anyone who would listen.

When she came to Canada in 1970 with her husband and children from communist Yugoslavia, the only way we as a family were lucky to be here was because of my mother's badly calloused and cracked hands. The doctor doing the physical on her told her "my dear woman, no one should have to work that hard", he took pity on her and as a result he stamped the approval form for the entire family to immigrate to Canada.

She worked hard, and knowing no English the only job opportunities were to work on the farms at the time. So she worked on the farms for several years picking vegetables, carrying large bushels of cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes etc. in the hot scorching sun for $1 per hour. She would then come home and take care of her family and children and do all the household chores. Welfare or social assistance was not an option, she would rather die . Welfare was something humiliating to her. She was a proud woman. She struggled and laboured and had a difficult life but never complained that she was tired, or had too much to do, nor did she ever ask for help from anyone.

Once she was able to learn a few words of English, she went to work cleaning people's houses. She was so good at it that she was referred from one person to another. She ended up working for a lot of professionals, business people, dentists, professors, doctors, lawyers, etc.. She then ended up cleaning their offices. She worked during the day doing house work, then in the evening and weekends cleaned offices, while still looking after her family. She earned the respect of everyone she worked for and people complimented her on how clever she was and how resourceful she was. She did this from the age of 44 to 65.

At the age of 65 when most people retire, she helped her children start up Montgomery Lodge, a retirement home in Hamilton, Ontario. She told her children when starting the business "if you must safe money never cut corners on food, cleanliness and care of the residents". She and her husband loaned the children money so they could renovate and start up the business, and then she quit her cleaning jobs and worked day and night cooking, cleaning and looking after the residents of Montgomery Lodge. She was loved and respected by all who came into contact with her. She did this until the age of 82 when she could no longer physically do the work. Her work ethic is second to none. I don't know of any individuals who worked as hard and as long and was so dedicated and sacrificed so much for her children. She never went out to restaurants,never took a vacation until the age of 85. Her biggest regret in life was she worked too hard and didn't enjoy life enough. A lesson to her children she left behind...enjoy life more, to be there for one another, to work as a family.

She loved to cook, gardening, making preserves, taking care of her home and her children. She was an excellent baker. She always had to be doing something, always thinking. She was a strong woman physically, emotionally, and mentally. She was the type that couldn't relax until everything was done and in it's place. She couldn't live a dish dirty. Sh was strong willed, very independent to the end, with a strong sense of dignity and integrity. She was ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OTHERS WOULD THINK. She had great family values. Family was everything to her, and that is why she is so loved and horribly missed by her children especially. She always put her children and family before herself in everything and anything she did.

She was a clever, smart woman, very giving and caring to her children and to her friends and people she encountered. She had integrity and pride. She was friendly and made friends easily. Because she was independent she didn't want to be a burden to anyone, not even the nursing staff at the hospital. She was very sociable and loved to be around people, and speak with people. She was loved and adored by everyone she came into contact with. She had a great ability to forget and forgive what others would consider unforgivable. She didn't like conflict and she just wanted to get along with everyone. All she wanted was peace and everyone to get along. She was willing to do what she had to to accomplish that.

She wanted grand children badly, so you can imagine how happy and proud she was that she FINALLY got a granddaughter Nadia on November 7, 2015 at the age of 89. On the phone and in person she would tell everyone what a smart little girl she was, and all the different things she was doing that delighted her and surprised her. She was" BAKA" she had bragging privileges. She marveled at how independent Nadia was at several months old, and wanted to do everything for herself...just like grandma. Seeing Nadia, her granddaughter always lit up her face and brought a smile and distracted her from her own aches and pains. There was never enough time with Nadia. She wanted to live long enough to hear her talk and hold a conversation with her. Unfortunately, that never happened. She wanted to instill words of wisdom and teach her the work ethics and values she possessed.

Her legacy lives in her children and the values she had she instilled in them. She raised two successful, well adjusted children. Her children would not have the accomplishments they have today without the hard work and ethics of their mother. They just wished they were able to have her enjoy some of the rewards of her hard labour.

Our hearts are broken over her passing. Our hears ache. We are filled with sadness and emptiness without her.

VOLIMO TE VISE NEGO STA TI MOZEMO REC. MAMA!

ZiVIS DALJE U MOJIM CRCU

DANA

Photos 

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