Rudolf NMN Gasparac Obituary (2024)

Rudy Gasparac passed away on September 21, 2024, in Yakima, at the age of 86. He was a great storyteller, loyal husband, dedicated father, and generous to his friends and family. Rudy was born in Delnice, Yugoslavia (now Croatia), on August 26, 1938, to Josephine and Rudolf Gasparac, as World War II was looming. During the war, Delnice was occupied by the Italian army and then later the German army, and times were hard. His mother, Josephine, died in 1942, and he was mostly raised by his grandmother, until his father returned to Delnice after the war. In 1957, he set out for a better life by escaping Yugoslavia. He and a few friends attempted to cross the northern border into Austria, but were captured, and he was sent to Tito's notorious Yugoslav prison "Goli Otok," a work camp on an island in the Adriatic Sea. After five months at the camp, he was released back to Delnice. Within days, he made a successful second escape attempt by jumping off a train at night and running across the border into Italy. Once in Italy, he was sent to a displaced persons camp in Capua, near Naples. He was in the camp for more than three years, before he was sponsored by Catholic Charities to come to the U.S. He joined his older sister and brother-in-law, Slavica (Gloria) and Frank Majnarich, in the Yakima Valley, and soon after was drafted into the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. Two years later, he returned to Yakima and enrolled in Perry Technical Institute and became an electrician. He met Henny Stegeman through her brother, Mike Stegeman, who was also training to be an electrician. Rudy and Henny married in 1966 and had two daughters, Corinne and Christine. In 1974, he founded his own electrical contracting business, Westside Electric. He wired many homes and commercial properties throughout the Yakima Valley and beyond for 25 years, until his retirement in 1999. In his retirement years, he enjoyed playing golf and traveling, especially when travel included golf. He treasured his golf buddies and enjoyed many good times with them. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Henny, and his daughter, Christine, his grandchildren, Finn and Hazel Sharples, and son-in-law, Fred Sharples, nieces, Gloria Marley (Steve), and Carlen Majnarich, and nephew, Frank Majnarich (Maureen), his brother and sisters-in-law, Mike Stegeman (Pat), Tom Stegeman (Pat), Mary Grable (Dick), and many beloved nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and his mother-in-law, Camille Collins, his sister and brother-in-law, Gloria and Frank Majnarich, his sisters-in-law, Bernadette Brungardt and Freda Stegeman, brother-in-law, Ted Stegeman, and his daughter, Corinne Lovestrand. His family is hosting a Celebration of Life on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 1:00pm, at Cascade Garden. Memorial contributions may be made payable to the International Rescue Committee or the Yakima Rotary Food Bank and sent in care of Brookside Funeral Home (PO Box 1267, Moxee, WA 98936), who is caring for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com.