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HUMAR; Matija "Matilda" (Boban)


With extremely heavy hearts and great sadness the family of Matija Humar (Boban) announce the passing of a beloved wife, mother and grandmother on September 20, 2016. Matija was born in Bosnia Herzegovina on January 23, 1939. In February 1958 she immigrated to Canada to what is now Thunder Bay, Ontario. Once in Canada she met Screcko (Steve) Humar and after a brief courtship they married on October 10, 1959. He predeceased her December 15, 2007 in Abbotsford, BC. Matija will be lovingly remembered by her children Brian in BC, Gizel (Joe) in Thunder Bay, Ontario and Steven (Angie) in BC. Her grandchildren Stephanie, Ryan, Max, Trent, Travis, Steven and Nicole brought much joy to her life. She was recently blessed with the birth of her first great grandchild, Sofia. Never one to sit still or be idle she was always busy cooking amazing food and taking care of family and friends. She was very gracious and her generosity in helping people was commendable. Mom was a talented seamstress and altered clothes for Bev Porter's in Thunder Bay. She ended her working years as a custodian for the Lakehead Board of Education. In January 1995 Steve and Matilda moved to Abbotsford, BC to begin to enjoy their retirement years. Even though they made new friends there she and Steve always enjoyed their visits back to Thunder Bay. Our mother had a great life and lived it fully. She was amazing, had great energy and was always full of passion. She was most happy in the company of her family and friends. She was strong, independent and touched many people's lives with her fun personality. We her children were very blessed to have had her in our lives. Matija left Abbotsford in mid-September to visit her homeland where she suffered a stroke a few days after her arrival and did not recover. Once the shock dissipated we came to realize it was meant to be. She came home to the place where she was born and where her parents and two brothers predeceased her. She lived her last days with the people she had known since childhood and literally passed away meters from where she was born. We found great comfort in the outpouring of grief from a community that loved our mother and would not have understood it, if we had not witnessed it with our very own eyes. We had a “Croatian Catholic Funeral” for her and a celebration of her life afterwards while still in Bosnia Herzegovina. Our mother along with a few stones from the 200 year old house she was born in will be going to BC where she will be united with our father who she missed dearly for the past 9 years. As well as being survived by her children, grandchildren and great grandchild, Matija is survived by her brother Vinko (Tonka) of Thunder Bay, sisters-in-law Angie in Croatia, Elvire in France and Slavica in Slovenia. Many nieces and nephews in Canada and Europe will also mourn her passing. She was predeceased by her parents Slavo and Ruja, her brothers Ljubo and Andrija and sister-in-law Jauja. Also predeceased by in-laws Leopold and Gizel, brothers-in-law Stacko and Alois, sister-in-law Paula and nephew Stanley. The family would also like to extend a tremendous thank you to Matija's best friend Wilma Stobbe for being a pillar of support in these most sorrowful times for which we are eternally grateful. We also want to thank everyone for their kind words, phone calls, visits, wishes and prayers. A Mass will be held in Abbotsford, BC on October 8, 2016. A Memorial will also be held in Thunder Bay at a date to be announced.


She will be greatly missed.

~ Brian, Gizel and Steven



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