Protonica Ivanka Tanaskoski, 86, wife of the late Very Rev. Spiro Tanaskoski, fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, June 5, 2006.
Born and raised in Bitola, Macedonia, she came to the US in 1961 with her husband, the Very Rev. Spiro Tanaskoski. Together they ministered to the faithful of Saint Clement of Ohrid American Macedonian Orthodox Church, Merrillville, IN, until Father Spiros death in 1995. The parish, within the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest, was the first canonical Macedonian parishes in the US. During her more than 40 years in the parish, she was a devout and most supportive member.
Protonica Ivanka is survived by three children: Jovan [Cveta] Tanaskoski and Simeon [Ivanka] Tanaskoski, both of Crown Point, IN, and Lupka [Vangel] Baloski of Fort Wayne, IN; eight grandchildren: Elizabeth [Andy] Pedersen, Milka [Mike] Sanders, Jovan [Polly] Baloski, Donna Tanaskoski, Stevan [Makedonka] Baloski, Vesna Tanaskoski, Christina Baloski, and Dame Tanaskoski; four great grandchildren, Alexandra and Luke Pederson and Jordan and James Sanders; one sister, Aspasia Crepkarovic, of Macedonia; sisters-in-law Sofia Tanasovski of Canada and Marija Nestorovska of Macedonia; and several nieces and nephews
Funeral services were celebrated on Wednesday and Thursday, June 7 and 8, 2006 at Saint Clement Church, by His Eminence, Archbishop Job and the Rev. Elijah Mueller, rector. Interment followed in Calumet Park Cemetery.
May Protonica Ivanka’s memory be eternal!