Submitted by: Dan Rich
Theodore B. Ivanus
March 15, 1916 - Dec. 18, 2007
South Bend Tribune 12/20/2007
MISHAWAKA - Dr. Theodore B. Ivanus, 91, of Mishawaka,
passed away early Tuesday morning, December 18, 2007, in the
Cardinal Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, South Bend.
Theodore Bozidar Ivanus, Doctor of Laws and Political Science,
M.A., M.L.S., Faculty Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame,
was born March 15, 1916, in Velika Gorica, Croatia. He graduated
summa cum laude in 1934 from the Classical Gymnasium in Zagreb
which is the oldest Croatian public education institution,
founded in 1607. In 1941 he received, summa cum laude, the
Doctoral Degree of Laws and Political Science from the School of
Law and Political Science at the University of Zagreb. As a
gifted musician and accomplished pianist, Theodore also studied
piano at the State Academy of Music in Zagreb and in 1937 earned
the M.A. in music. He was very active during his student years as
a professional pianist playing in large jazz orchestras and was a
soloist in many places and on many occasions. Theodore came to
the United States in 1952 and studied at Case Western Reserve
University in Cleveland, Ohio, from which he received two
master's degrees. In 1963 he joined the faculty at the University
of Notre Dame and taught there for 27 years in the Department of
Government and International Studies.
On May 2, 1970, Theodore married Anne
(Klicek) Magdich. The couple traveled extensively in
Europe, USA, Canada and Croatia, the land of their ancestors.
Anne passed away in 1998. Theodore dedicated his musical talents
for several years in the late sixties as director and conductor
of the Croatian American Glee Club "Preradovic" in
Gary, Indiana. He was a member of the American Association for
the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the Croatian Academy of
America, the American Croatian Academic Club in Cleveland, Ohio,
Croatian American Association and the Association of Croatian
Studies in the USA and Canada.
In Mishawaka he was a member of St. Joseph
Catholic Church. Theodore's surviving family includes a niece,
Marcela Ramuscak of Croatia; two stepsons, Tomas Magdich of
Dixon, IL, and Dennis Magdich of New Mexico; three
step-grandchildren, Amy Jo Clemens, Marjorie Erdmann
and Michael Magdich; and seven step-great-grandchildren.
Besides his wife, he was also preceded in death by his parents,
Sandor and Amalia (Franjkovic) Ivanus, and by his brother,
Vojko.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Friday at 9:30 a.m. (EST) in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at
Notre Dame. There will be no public visitation. Burial will be at
a later date in Croatia. Memorials may be sent in care of
Attorney Edward P. Benchik, 402 W. Washington Street, Suite 200,
South Bend, IN 46601. Suggested memorials are to the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; for
Croatian Marian Chapels; or to the Croatian Franciscan Fathers in
Chicago, Illinois. Arrangements were entrusted to Thallemer,
Goethals & Wells Funeral Home, Mishawaka.