Pavlek "Paul" Horvat, age 88, passed away on October 5, 2022, in Bradenton, Florida.
Paul was born February 2, 1934, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Yugoslavia to Paul and Mary (Belschak) Horvat, the youngest in the family, with three older siblings: Danica, Drago (deceased 2020), and Bronko (deceased 2022). The family was active in the Underground during World War II, after which, as a youngster, he fled with his parents and wound up in a displaced persons camp in Austria. Life was hard in the camp, with very little food, but some limited playtime, which included kicking a soccer ball around, which managed to attract the eye of a particular young girl in the camp.
He enlisted in the United States Army, to establish a path to US Citizenship for his parents and himself. He proudly served in post-war Europe and then landed stateside, where he reconnected with both his parents, and the young girl from camp, Margaret Bostelmann, whom he married in 1957. He worked as a pipe fitter and HVAC controls in the Chicago area, providing for his wife and their three children, in Glenview, Illinois. He spent his later years in the central west coast of Florida, where he owned and managed different businesses, before his eventual full retirement in Bradenton.
He is survived by his oldest sister, Danica, and all three of his children: Regina, Diana, and Mark (JulieSnyder), as well as his 4 grandchildren: Bradley, Erik, Madeline, and Andrew.
Military burial is at 11:30 am on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL 34241. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West Bradenton, FL 34209 is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be made to: www.brownandsonsfuneral.com
