Gordana Nikolich – Memory Eternal ✝ Vjecnaja Pamjat

The Clergy, Executive Board, and Members of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church express condolences to the friends and family of Gordana Nikolich. Memory eternal.

Gordana Nikolich (née Perich) age 76 of East Chicago, Indiana, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on September 12, 2024.

She was born in 1948 in Bologna, Italy, where her family had been living after being displaced from their home in Serbia during World War II. She came to Gary, Indiana, with her parents in 1950, where she lived for most of her life. Gordana graduated from Emerson High School in Gary in 1966 and went on to graduate from Indiana University Northwest. She then worked as an interpreter for thirty-five years until she retired ten years ago.

Widowed in 1997, she was a lifelong member of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, where she had been a member of the Karageorge Choir – following in her father Milan’s footsteps. She enjoyed spending time with her friends and wonderful neighbors in the Roxana neighborhood of East Chicago, where she could often be seen sitting on her porch in the warmer months. She enjoyed gardening with her daughter Nina, raising vegetables and flowers, and looking after her grandson Elias.

She is preceded in death by her parents Milan and Mirjana Perich, and her brother Milan Perich,

Gordana is survived by her loving daughter Nina (Paul) Luka; cherished grandson Elias Moreno; dear sisters Lilly Lung and Rada (Jeff) Carlsen,; adored nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, Gina (Kevin) Frey, Natalie Carlsen, Elyse Carlsen, Doug Allen, Liam Allen and Charlotte Allen; also her extended family in Serbia, dear Kumovi, Kuma Mira (Toma) Spirov, Kuma Olga (Julio) Velazquez, and many more kumovi and friends including her best friend, William Brancic.

Visitation will be Friday, September 20, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 9191 Mississippi Street, Merrillville, Indiana, with Funeral Service beginning at 12:00 noon, V. Rev. Aleksandar Novakovic officiating. Interment Calumet Park Cemetery. Daća to follow at the St. Sava Church (main) hall.

For further information please call Mileva at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel 219-736-5840. May her memory be eternal.