Wife, mother, friend, hero. Born Feb. 1, 1938, in Tuzla, Bosnia. Died July 17, 2011, in Winnipeg of a heart attack, aged 73.
Behidza Znidarec grew up in Tuzla, Bosnia, with her brother, Muharem, and sister, Nesa. Their parents, Hajrija and Ferid Azabagic, came from a line of landowners and professionals. They instilled in Behidza a love of learning, people and a strong sense of community and charity.
After earning her degree in economics at Zagreb University in Croatia, Behidza started her career as an economist. While in university, Behidza had met the love of her life, a young Croatian engineer named Boris Znidarec. Boris sealed his future with Behidza when she asked him, "Who will look after me now?" after her father's sudden passing and he replied, "I will." They married in 1966.
Behidza was the wind in Boris's sails and followed him and his dream of a better life to Canada in 1968. In Winnipeg, they built their lives and raised three children: Robert, Richard and Suzy.
Although she never worked as an economist in Canada, when her children were in school Behidza went back to work, first as a waitress, later as an accountant at Hudson's Bay Co. and finally as a manager at H&R Block.
She loved people and endeared herself to others by listening patiently and never shying away from offering an opinion. To her friends trying to put off a visit because of a messy house, she would say, "I'm coming to see you, not your house!"
Behidza was a fearless and dedicated daughter. When war broke out in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and diplomatic efforts to bring her mother to Canada failed, she travelled to Bosnia and spent six months there successfully lobbying Canadian government officials to allow her to be admitted to Canada.
Back at home, Behidza embraced the many refugees of the war in Bosnia settling in Winnipeg. She and Boris provided displaced people with any assistance they could, and many of them thought of Behidza as their Canadian mother.
Later in life, Behidza took great pleasure in time spent with her grandchildren. Boris, her chauffeur, was seldom able to resist her efforts to visit them, no matter what household project would have to be delayed as a result. Behidza, known as "Nana," patiently listened to her grandchildren, showered them with love and played with them. After scoring on them in a game of street hockey, she would hug them and apologize.
Behidza was a best friend to Suzy in spite of the distance between their homes in Winnipeg and Montreal. They spoke and laughed daily over the phone.
Although we are broken-hearted at the loss of our wife, mother, Nana and friend, we are grateful that her passing was quick and without suffering. We will cherish her memory and love one another and our friends as she would have.
By Rob Znidarec, Behidza's son.