Elizabeth Bratkovich of Tulsa, Oklahoma passed peacefully from this life into the hands of her Lord and Savior on May 25, 2026, at the age of 94.

She was born September 19, 1931, in the village of Erdevik, located in the Srem region of western Serbia. Elizabeth and her older sister, Rosalia, were the only children of Josef and Elizabeta Boj. Their life together was filled with love, and their home with peace and happiness. However, the death of her father in 1940, and the Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941, would change the course of her life forever. And so it came to pass that she, her sister, and their widowed mother each packed a single suitcase, leaving their home and their belongings behind, to become part of a caravan of displaced persons being transported to Germany.

Elizabeth had many stories to tell about her journey to freedom, the most remarkable of which was the trip to Berlin. Hundreds of refugees were loaded into cattle cars, but due to constant bombing by the British and the Americans, the trip was constantly being delayed. It was in Dresden, which received the worst of the bombing, that the refugees had to evacuate the cattle cars and hide under them for safety. Though over 25,000 civilians would lose their lives in Dresden, Elizabeth, her mother, and her sister were spared. By nothing less than the providence of Almighty God, they were rescued by the U.S. Army and assigned to a refugee camp within the American Zone of Berlin. From there, they were taken to Osterode, Germany, where she and her mother would spend the next three years in an American refugee camp while awaiting permission to immigrate to the United States. During that time, her sister, Rosalia, would marry and move to Slovenia with her husband.

While in the camp, Elizabeth met Dan (Dragoljub) Bratkovich, the love of her life who would become her husband of nearly 70 years. Following their approval for immigration, Dan settled in Milwaukee, while Elizabeth and her mother went to Philadelphia. The two sweethearts kept in constant touch, writing to each other on a weekly basis. In 1949, Dan finally convinced Elizabeth and her mother to come to Milwaukee, where they would find plentiful work opportunities, a large Serbian community - and for Elizabeth, a marriage proposal. To survive all the perilous experiences on their separate paths during the war was a miracle. But the fact that their destinies intertwined at the same time and place was evidence that theirs was truly a "match made in Heaven".

Elizabeth and Dan were blessed with a son, Nick, in 1951, and a daughter, Lilly, born in 1954. Two years later, both she and Dan became citizens of the United States, and throughout her life she would describe it as one of her proudest moments. Her patriotism and gratitude for her adopted country was passed down to the entire family, which has since grown to include a wonderful daughter-in-law, six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

In 1963, Elizabeth and her husband participated in the founding of Saint Nikola Serbian Orthodox Church of Cudahy, Wisconsin, where she worked tirelessly for nearly 50 years. Whether singing in the church choir, preparing meals in the church kitchen with fellow members of the Circle of Serbian Sisters, catering at the church's Root River Center, or serving at the Caledonia picnic grounds - whenever help was needed, Elizabeth was always there.

Outside of the church, Elizabeth was employed as a delicatessen manager at the Kohl's Food Store in Cudahy, Wisconsin. After her retirement, she continued to stay involved in various church activities while, at the same time, caring for her elderly in-laws. Following her cancer diagnosis in 2010, she and Dan moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to be closer to their son and daughter and their families during her treatment.

Elizabeth survived cancer, and when it became apparent that her husband would require extensive medical care, she chose to reside with him at Broken Arrow Nursing Home. Dan passed away in the summer of 2020, just months before his 97th birthday. Then, in 2025, Elizabeth suffered a debilitating stroke, but under the care of the nursing home staff, we were able to enjoy another year and a half with her. The family will always be grateful for the care shown to both Elizabeth and Dan during their time there.

She had many passions in life, but her greatest was always her family. Her grandchildren, who knew her as "Pie", will forever cherish the memories of the fun they had together at Wisconsin Dells, Six Flags Great America, 4th of July fireworks, the museum, the zoo, the movies, and all of the birthdays and holidays. It made her so happy to know that the same fascinating stories from her childhood, which once captured the imagination of her grandchildren, were now being passed down by them to their spouses, children, and friends.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband Dan in 2020. She is survived by her son Nick Bratkovich (Nancy) of Tulsa OK, and daughter Lillian Goelz of Broken Arrow OK - her grandchildren, Michael Bratkovich of Dallas TX, Andrew Bratkovich of Tulsa, Rachael Johnson (James) of Tulsa, Nikki Priest (Berkley) of South Boston VA, Daniel Konves (Kimberly) of Broken Arrow, and Stephen Konves of Broken Arrow - and her great grandchildren, Taylor Bratkovich, Abigail Johnson, and Felix Konves. She is also survived by extended family, Kumovi, and friends in Wisconsin, California, Florida and Australia.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Friday, June 12, 2026, at Schaff Funeral Service, 5920 W. Lincoln Ave. in West Allis, Wisconsin.

Funeral service to begin at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Saint Nikola Serbian Orthodox Church, 3802 E. Squire Ave. in Cudahy, Wisconsin, followed by internment at the Saint Nikola Church Cemetery in Caledonia, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory can be made to the following organizations:

Saint Nikola Serbian Orthodox Church

P.O. Box 564

Cudahy, Wisconsin 53110

Oklahoma Chapter of the American Stroke Association

3401 NW 63rd Street, Ste 200

Oklahoma City, OK 73116