Rose Sekicky

Rose (Ruzica) Sekicky, 82, passed away September 26, 2019 after a brief illness. Rose was born in Zemum, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) on March 18, 1937 to Sofija (nee Bielich) and Chedomir Miskovic. She grew up and attended primary and secondary school in her mother’s hometown of Srbobran, in the Backa region of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. In 1956, she and her mother immigrated to the United States, joining her father, a displaced person who resettled in the U.S. after World War II. Their first home was in Barberton. Rose obtained a diploma from the Akron Public School’s Evening High School to complete her secondary education. Her first job was in the candy factory at the M. O’Neil Company. During this time, she made friends in the Serbian community in Akron, was active in the church choir and met Donald Sekicky, a young teacher from Barberton. They married in August 1960 and settled in Green, where they remained for most of their 55-year marriage. While raising her young family, Rose continued her education, attending the University of Akron during the evenings and successfully obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1977. She became active in the Isidor Bajich Serbian Church Choir again during this time. She worked for a period as a substitute teacher for Akron Public Schools and suburban districts. She became a Learning Disabilities Tutor for Barberton City Schools before accepting the same position at Green Local Schools. The following school year she had her own elementary school classroom and taught first grade at Greenwood Elementary School until her retirement. She was by all accounts committed to her profession. A master teacher, Rose excelled at teaching struggling first-graders to read, and she taught all of her students how to make pizza and monkey bread from scratch in the Greenwood Elementary School cafeteria kitchen. She spent hours at school and at home preparing lessons and materials, often kept company by the family cat who laid on the desk next to the materials, and still managed to cook for her family and care for her mother during her battle with Alzheimer’s. Classical music constantly played in the background regardless of the task she was performing. In retirement, she continued to enjoy gardening in the back yard of her Green residence. Friends called her a master chef, and everyone who saw Rose’s granddaughter wearing the uniquely beautiful clothes she sewed for her — be they dresses, pajamas, jumpers, skirts, suits, shorts, pedal pushers or Peter Pan blouses, jackets or coats — expressed amazement at her prowess and creativity.

Rose is preceded in passing by her husband, Donald Sekicky, her brother, Spasoje “Spike” Miskovic and her mother Sofija Miskovic. She is survived by son David of Berwyn, Illinois, daughter Natalie Sekicky, daughter-in-law Susan Atchison of Cleveland Heights and granddaughter Sofija Kathryn Sullivan.

There will be no evening calling hours. The funeral service will be held Monday, September 30th, at 11:00AM at Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church, 2552 Pickle Road. Friends may pay respects beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Lakewood Cemetery in Akron. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kindred Hospice Services (https://www.curohealthservices.com/donate)

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