obit templateheritagefunera2018-11-29T12:10:12+00:00
Hildegard "Millie"
Hildegard "Millie"
Vojvodich
- Visitation: Friday, September 13, 2024 from 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM at Heritage Funeral Home (16880 W. National Ave. New Berlin, WI 53151)
- Funeral Service: Friday, September 13, 2024, 5:30 PM, at Heritage Funeral Home (16880 W. National Ave. New Berlin, WI 53151)
Hildegard “Millie” Vojvodich
(nee Becher) was born on Nov. 26, 1928 in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Germany and passed peacefully on Sept. 7, 2024 in Waterford, WI.
Mom/Millie/Oma led a long, extraordinary life. She lived through WWII as a young woman, only to escape Russian occupied German territory after the war on foot, evading patrols, to Allied controlled West Germany. There she met a young Serbian relocation camp guard and former German POW and fell in love.
Due to the political climate at the time and lack of work, they made the courageous decision to leave everything they ever knew to settle in the US, while not being able to speak a word of English. They arrived through Ellis Island. After briefly living in New Jersey and Chicago, they eventually settled in Milwaukee, which became their new home and a place they built a new family, having 7 children. In fact, they built a whole new community of people that became part of a greater, extended family.
Her small frame packed an incredible amount of love. And she loved family above all. Both family by blood and those that became like family. She expressed that love in so many ways: unconditional support, incredible selflessness and yes, amazing food. As the saying goes, her food was made with love, along with lots of butter. She was known for many of her dishes, including “German” pancakes, “German” meatballs, Serbian Sarma and the decadent rum raisin stollen she made for the entire family each year. She loved to gamble (see marrying a Serbian and moving across the world above as an early example), going to the casino with a close group of friends or having a card game at home. For a long time, she was a dedicated league-bowler.
She eagerly attended every event, game, dance recital, school concert and graduation and was usually the loudest voice in the room, clapping when you weren’t supposed to clap, rooting you on and telling you how wonderful you were. She both cried and laughed easily. She didn’t hold back her opinion, so you always knew what she thought. She told her family often that we were beautiful or handsome. She frequently asked if her hair looked okay — it almost always did.
It feels a bit silly to say she’ll be missed. It would never quite cover the amount of loss. And although it may sound cliche, one comforting fact is she’ll never truly leave us. She’s a force that lives on in all of us.
Millie is survived by her children Alex (Pam), Chris (Bob), Steve (Karen), Peter (Stacey) and Michael (Jen) and her sister Eva of Idstein, Germany. Further survived by her grandchildren Lisa, Adam, Courtney, Denise, Joey, Alexander, Jennifer, Michael, Brian, Melissa, Dillon, Lilijana and Kyra as well as her great-grandchildren Haley, Ethan, Vance, Wyatt, Jayden, Hunter, Paige, Noah, Charlotte, Jojo, Weston, Emberly, Mason and Ivy and many loved nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.
Preceded in death by her husband Mico, father Maximillian & mother Elizabeth, brothers Karl, Roman and Paul, sisters Erika and Lottie, son Milo (Jeanne), daughter Betty, daughter-in-law Cathy and son-in-law Bill.
Visitation will be on Friday, September 13, from 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM at Heritage Funeral Home – New Berlin, 16880 W. National Ave., New Berlin, WI. Funeral Service to follow at 5:30 PM.
A very special thank you to Laura, Jessica, Dawn and Elyse at Badger Hospice Care.
❤️❤️
Dear Millie,
I am so grateful to have known you and spend time with you over the past 24 years.
Once in a lifetime someone touches our lives in such an endearing way that they leave us with moments that stay in our hearts forever. You were one of those special people. The gifts you gave me in return were your unwavering kindness, optimism, unconditional love and wisdom. You moved through life with strength and dignity. It was a privilege and honor to have you part of my life and be your daughter-in-law. I will miss you dearly, Millie. With love, Stacey
Dear Mom,
Loving, caring, gentle, giving, supportive, strong, joyful and an amazing cook, are just a few of the great traits you have gifted me. I have all these wonderful treasured memories and thoughts of you to carry with me everyday.
I will cherish my childhood memories of being with you in the Dells, and weekends on Sawyer lake. I loved our travels to Las Vegas to gamble, dinners at our house, cooking and making stollen together. These are just a few of the most precious memories that will be in my thoughts daily to help me feel you by my side.
I now wake up every morning with a music box playing our favorite song-Edelweiss, from our favorite movie, The Sound of Music. You would sing it to me when I was a young child while we watched the movie together.
(https://youtu.be/8bL2BCiFkTk?si=liYsT0xjZ_RxRsdL)
Now I will pass on this wonderful tradition to my two grandchildren, Noah and Louisa, who also listen to the same music box when they go to sleep at night. You have instilled in me all of your beautiful ways of enjoying life and sharing love. I will always continue to share that with others.
Mom, without a doubt, you always accepted me for who I am and shared your wisdom and strength. I know you will continue to guide me as you always have.
You have taught me everything I need to know in life, except how to live without you.
I love you and will miss you immensely.
Love your son,
Peter
du bist alles für mich, Mutter, und ich werde dich unendlich vermissen, liebe deinen Sohn, Peter
My Dear Millie: It was a honor to know and love you. I thank you for all your trips to visit Milo since he could no longer travel. I know how difficult it was for you. I also will remember your kind words to me. I will truly miss you. Rest in peace, dear lady. My sympathies to all the Vojvodich families. Jeanne Nedeau
Alex and family, after reading about her here, she truly led a courageous and wonderful life! My prayers go out to her and her beautiful family. Celebrate her legacy!
Dear Oma, it’s hard to express in words how heartbroken we all are losing the best woman and grandmother ever. I am eternally grateful that you were mine. You were the most loving, wonderful, sweet, caring, generous, honest and funny angel. You always knew how special you were to Jayden and I. You made our childhood so special and I will cherish it and our memories forever. Growing up all of us kids never wanted to leave your house. So many good memories. I will never forget all your wisdom and strength and you have passed that on to all of us. You lived such a remarkable life and through all of it you remained positive and strong. We always said you should have a published book. This is a tremendous loss and you will never be forgotten. One of last things you said to me was how much you loved me and how we always had such good times together and that to please be happy because everything will be okay ❤️ I love you so very much Oma. Rest in peace
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Sehr traurig haben wir die Nachricht über Hilde erhalten. Sie war immer ein wichtiger Teil unser Familie. Wir konnten Hilde bei ihren Besuchen in Deutschland als großartige Frau und Mutter kennenlernen. Wir werden Sie immer in unserer Erinnerung behalten. Einen letzten Gruß aus der alten Heimat und Ruhe in Frieden. Der Familie wünschen wir viel Kraft in dieser schweren Zeit. Wir sind in Gedanken bei Euch.
Hohenstein-Ernstthal, September 2024
Eva Becher, Patricia Becher, Uwe Becher und Frank Becher
Picture: Hilde and her Brother Karl, Dezember 2015
Uwe, this is a very sweet message, I hope you don’t mind me adding the translation in English here:
We received the news about Hilde very sadly. She was always an important part of our family. We were able to get to know Hilde as a great woman and mother during her visits to Germany. We will always remember you. A last greeting from the old homeland and rest in peace. We wish the family a lot of strength during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with you.
Hohenstein-Ernstthal, September 2024
Oma, I knew this day would eventually come but it still hit me like a ton of bricks. I Love and miss you enormously. You were the rock of the family and the most amazing Oma anyone could ask for. I have a couple memories that really stand out. One day when I was about 10 years old, I asked you why you were talking funny and you said ” Lisa, if you knew what I was saying, it wouldn’t seem funny then”. I believe you were cussing at Opa. Also, when I was about 12 or 13 yrs. old I asked you why I couldn’t be with you more and you said “Lisa, no matter where we are you’re always with me”. I’ll cherish all the time and memories we made. I’ll definitely miss your Sarma but most of all I’ll miss your stories. I Love You and give Opa a big hug and kiss from me. Love Lisa
I always thought of her as my other Mother, I loved her like my own mother. She was also so much fun to be around and talk to. I would call her son Azo to talk, if she would answer we would talk and talk. She would finally ask if I still wanted to speak with him, I would often reply, I forget why called him up in the first place. Mrs. Vojvodich, as I always revered to her as, loved Bill O’Reilly . One day I go a photo him, framed it, and signed it “To my dear friend, Millie Vojvodich, you are the only person in the world smarter then me, Love Bill O’Reilly” and put it on her night stand. She new right away I was the culprit. We got a laugh out of that one. She always said I was a Big BSer.. I have no idea where she got that one. Well, sorry to say she is finally home with Tut, Milo. and Betty. So much more to say, so many great memories and great times. I will missed her always.
Love Chris