MIKAN, George Juraj Mikan

MIKAN, George Juraj  –

1933 – 2023

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of George, on October 10, 2023, at the age of 90.

A kind and gentle man, with an incredible sense of humour, was adored by his family and will be greatly missed.

Predeceased by his beloved wife, Sally, of 56 years.

Loving father to Cindy (Lorne), Wendy (Paul), and Shirley (Tony). Devoted Dida to Madison and Alexandra, Anthony (Hannah) and Ashley (Zack), and Nicholas and Georgia; dear great-grandfather to Rose. Predeceased by his cherished parents, Jelena and George; and by his sister, Marija.

George learned his trade as a tailor in his native Croatia and arrived in Toronto in the late 1950s. His first job was at Tip Top Tailors. He quickly became a Toronto Maple Leafs fan and saw them win a Stanley Cup. But it was his love for Croatian soccer that led him to become president of the National Soccer League’s Toronto Croatia in the 1970s.

He famously drew the team’s iconic logo on a cocktail napkin and was an organizer of Team Sydney Croatia’s North American tour. He was later one of the “businessmen from Toronto’s soccer-mad Croatian community” who helped form the Toronto Metro’s Croatia.

The team won the North American Soccer League championship in 1976 and was later inducted into the Canadian Soccer League Hall of Fame. 

Stompin’ Tom Conners was so happy with the suit George made him that he wrote a song on the spot aptly called “George the Tailor.”

In the latter part of his career, he was proud to be the tailor for the Canadian Armed Forces at Base Borden, crafting a variety of uniforms from intricate full-dress uniforms to mess kits.

We are forever thankful to his loving Silverthorne care family who affectionately called him “Tata” (Dad).

Friends may visit at Turner and Porter “Neweduk – Erin Mills” Chapel, 1981 Dundas St. W., Mississauga, on Sunday, October 15th, from 2-6 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at Croatian Martyrs Church, 4605 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, on Monday, October 16th, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

CanadianObituaries.com

{fastsocialshare