It is with great sadness that the family of Vinko Bartolic announces his passing on Sunday February 14, 2016 at Vancouver General Hospital at the age of 81 years, following a battle with lung cancer.

Vinko was born in Zagreb, Croatia on January 3, 1935, the only son of Franca Bartolic. He completed trade school in Zagreb and worked as a Fitter.  He met his wife Slavica at Tvorpam company where they both worked in 1957 and got married shortly thereafter on May 3, 1958.  After five years of marriage, he went to Wetter (Ruhr), Germany to work for two and a half years and while there applied to immigrate to Canada through the Caritas organization.  Vinko and Slavica came to Canada in 1965 and Vinko worked at EBCO industries and was member of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamentation and Reinforcing Iron Workers local 712 for 35 years.  While their children were young, the two worked opposite shifts to care for their kids and spent weekends as a family having barbeques in the park or at the lake.
After retirement, Vinko spent his time caring for grandchildren, driving them to dance classes and taking them to the park.  He also loved to bowl, woodwork and play cards with his good friends.

Vinko will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 57 years, Slavica and his children, Daniel (Diana) and Silvia (Steve).  Vinko will also be fondly remembered by his four grandchildren, Natasha, Cassandra, Marina and Robert as well as his close friends.

Prayers and a Mass of Christian Burial in memory of Vinko will be held on February 22, 2016 at 10:00 am at the Immaculate Heart of Mary parish located at 3105 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver, BC, with Fr. Dujo Boban as celebrant.  Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery at 5455 Fraser Street, Vancouver, BC.

Memorial donations can be made to the VGH Palliative Care Unit at VGHfoundation.ca/donate/.  Select ‘Palliative Care – Hospital’.

Special thanks to the compassionate doctors, nurses and staff of Vancouver General Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit who made the last months of Vinko’s life comfortable.