Bozidar N. Ivanov

MOUNT PLEASANT – Bozidar N. (“Boz” or “Buzz”) Ivanov, age 83, passed away at home early Sunday morning, November 23, 2014, following a long illness.

 He was born December 27, 1930, in Dimitrovgrad, Yugoslavia, to Nikola and Elena Ivanov. He was the first in his family to continue his education following high school, which he graduated from in 1948. In 1952, he graduated from the Geodetic Technical School in Belgrade, with a degree in land surveying and mapping. He completed his mandatory year of military service with the Yugoslav Army Horsed Cavalry Division in Zagreb in 1952.

 He met the love of his life, Rosa (nee: Radojevic), during his time as a land surveyor in Zajecar, Yugoslavia, in 1965. They were married soon thereafter and subsequently decided to move to the United States to reunite with her family.

They arrived in this country with their two-year old daughter on a Saturday in November, 1968. On the following Tuesday, Bozidar began working, alongside his father-in-law and brother-in-law, at Rite Engineering, followed by J.I. Case, until 1970. By then, he had learned enough English to obtain employment in his chosen field as a land surveyor.

Buzz eventually opened his own land surveying and mapping business in 1979 and was even able to parlay his knowledge and experience into his local land development business. He developed Christina Estates (named after his favorite granddaughter), Royal Oaks, Quiet Valley Acres, Turtle Creek, and mapped numerous others, including Wind Meadows and Campbell Woods. Buzz always took great care with his drafting work, often drawing and printing by hand, thoroughly enjoying both the mathematical and aesthetic aspects of his profession.

He was very proud of his accomplishments, having started in a new country, not knowing a word of English, to owning and operating his own successful business, through hard work and sheer determination. He was a member of the WI Society of Land Surveyors for 35 years and was also a member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and American Society of Photogrammetry.

 As he became older, he focused more on the three Gs: Gardening, Grilling, and Grandkids. His tomatoes and peppers were legendary, his shish-kebabs and BBQ ribs were world-renowned, and nothing made him happier than teaching the grandkids chess or watching their soccer and basketball games. He really enjoyed the best of both cultures, from Packer games to pig roasts. He will be dearly missed.

Bozidar is survived by his wife of nearly fifty years Rosa, daughter Dr. Suzana Dudley (Jonathan) and grandchildren Christina, Cal, and William. From his previous marriage, he is survived by son Ivan (Gorica), grandson Nikola (Nevena) and great-grandson Lazar Ivanov, all of Arizona; and daughter Elena (Stojan) Nikolic, granddaughter Marija (Aleksandar) and great-granddaughter Petra Stajic, all of Serbia.

He is also survived by a sister, Hristina Sokolov, along with nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews and numerous other relatives and friends in Serbia and Bulgaria. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Boris, and two brothers, Kostadin and Hranislav, in Serbia.

He is further survived by sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Ljubinka and Momir Gojkovich and Ljubinka Radojevich, all of Racine, and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by father-in-law Miroslav Radojevic, brother-in-law Dragoljub Radojevich and nephew Miroslav (“Mickey”) Gojkovich.

Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Sunday from 4-6 p.m. for a visitation time to meet with his family. The celebration of his life and funeral service will take place in the funeral home on Monday, December 1, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. with an additional visitation from 9:30 -10:30 a.m. His interment will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park.

The family wishes to thank Allay Home and Hospice for their care and support.