Obituary of Šime Maruna

In Loving Memory of Šime Maruna

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our father / grandfather, Šime Maruna, who passed away suddenly at the age of 83.  A man full of life, he brought joy and warmth to everyone he met. His spirit was a beacon of light, always guided by the principles of his Catholic Faith, and led by the Prayer of St. Francis, which he held dear to his heart as this was his rule of life.

He is finally reunited with the love of his life Darinka Maruna (1999), a devoted father to Tony & Marina, Mark & Alison, and a cherished grandfather to Julia, Gabriela, Natalie, Šime Jr, Adam and Sofia. His family was his pride and joy, and he dedicated his life to their happiness and well-being. He will be dearly missed by his large family, relatives and friends in both Croatia and Canada.

He was born on July 27, 1941, in the small village of Jesenice Croatia (north of Zadar). He lived in very humble beginnings as the youngest of 8 siblings, he was surrounded by a loving family, and supported themselves off the land, and raising goats.  His first job until he was aged 12 was managing 100+ goats with his dog.  He lost his mother at the age of 12 and was raised by his older siblings. He learned to be very independent at an early age and survived as a self-learner.  He learnt the mechanic trade at a young teen age from a family friend in Zadar, and eventually drove delivery trucks throughout the country.  He served in the army for 4 years and when he graduated, was a professional driver.  He boasted that he was a chauffeur to so called important Generals in those days.  In his early 20’s in Croatia he gained employment in the movie industry as a limo driver for movie starts and crew.  Was part of movies where he shared drives with names like Omar Sharif and Sophia Loren.

His path led him to Canada where he landed at the port of Montreal in 1968 where he was received by Catholic nuns who welcomed him to Canada with a small donation of food, and shelter.  He made his way west to Calgary, AB where he worked in roofing and as a diesel mechanic, then continued further west, eventually landing to Port Alberni, BC.  It was his East Indian friend who was going to Port Alberni to work in the sawmills and suggested he come with him.  He worked at McMillan Bloedel from 1969-75.  To his fortune it was in this small sawmill town where he met the love of his life Darinka (who also immigrated from Croatia at 18 years of age), and they were married on November 14,1970.   

By 1975 with their two very young boys in tow, they relocated to Sarnia, Ontario.  They valued having a family connection in Sarnia, and Sime began a new career in a machine shop, BV Tool Co Ltd., where he invested 40+ years and enjoyed his comradeships with his many colleagues. Accustomed to new beginnings, many relationships were established and continued to grow.  They found lifelong friendships through the Croatian community at the time, and these families grew up together, attended Church, and held regular picnics, where Sime was known to be a competitive horseshoe, and bocce ball player.  Šime loved people and loved socializing, and enjoyed catering with Firenze’s Pizza, a shot of French brandy and a micro-brew beer.  He was known for loving his walks by the water under the bridge, playing poker with his grandkids, and always having his doors wide open at home. He lived a life of positive energy, rich full of love, laughter, and kindness.  He always had a good story to sharing recipes and formulas for food advice on how to live a healthy life.

He was a man focused on making the best of life and appreciating what you have.  Although the journey of life involves setbacks, hardships, and unexpected turns, he never showed his despairs.  He leaned on his faith and his friendships for hope and love to get through the day.   Many who knew him would recall that he never hesitated in sharing his life experiences, and story- telling of his early lessons, for the benefit of helping others.

Šime was known for his unwavering faith and his commitment to living a life of service. He was a longtime parishioner at St. Benedict Church. He practiced the St Francis of Assisi prayer by “striving to be an instrument of peace, sowing love where there was hatred, and bringing hope where there was despair. He sought to console rather than be consoled, to understand rather than be understood, and to love rather than be loved”. His generosity and compassion touched the lives of many, and his legacy of kindness will continue to inspire those who knew him.

Though he is no longer with us, the love and wisdom he shared will remain in our hearts forever. As St. Francis prayed, “It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”   May he rest in peace, embraced by the eternal love of God.

Visitation will be held at the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431 N. Christina St., Sarnia on Friday October 25, 2024, from 2 – 4 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Queen of Peace Church on Saturday, Oct. 26th at 11 a.m. followed by Interment at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St Benedict’s Catholic Church, Sv. Leopold Mandic Parish Croatian Catholic or a charity of your choice in his memory, continuing his mission of helping others. Most of all, our wish is to be kind and pay it forward (as he practiced often) to the next person, when you are buying a coffee or a meal.   Messages of condolence and memories may be left at www.mckenzieblundy.com