From Larry:
Luce Gatti has visited Croatia twice, in 1985 and 1990. She had sent copies of photographs from her trips to my parents. Below are her pictures. On the back of each picture she tried to identify each person and I have tried to match the names and faces.
This picture was taken in 1985. On the back, Luce wrote: "Cvietjo Ducich and daughter Marija"
This picture was also taken in 1985. It is not clear to me how they are all related. Luce wrote: "Ducich relatives Vitaljina"
This picture was taken in 1990. On the back Luce wrote: "Marija Ducich Dovich with husband, daughter-in-law and granddaughter Marija. Marija is the late Cviejto Ducich's daughter. Marija is 51 years old."
This picture was taken on the same trip in 1990. I have copied the notes on the back of the picutre, which appear to be written in Italian. As I remember, Luce speaks English, Italian and Croatian. Luce seems to have referred to herself by her maiden name. Comparing photos, this is the same Mato that is in the picture taken with me and my parents when we visited Vitaljina in 2003. I used the notes on this picture and the above picture to identify everyone in both pictures. Also, I know that Luce's husband, Dan Gatti, and Luce Ducic have died since this picture was taken in 1990.
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While staying in Dubrovnik on our Croatian tour last year, we spent a day in Vitaljina. We stopped at the home of Marija Ducich Dovich. She was out of town, but we were entertained by her son, Luko. Luko called Cvijeto (I am not sure of the relationship), who has a car. Cvijeto tooks us to visit the church, Zupa Sr. Spasitelja. That is were Father Dender showed us the family records that I referred to in a previous e-mail. Next, Cvijeto took us to visit Mato (again, I am not sure of the exact relationship) and his wife Stojka. Evidently, Mato lives on the farm where my grandfather grew up. If we were able to understand him correctly, behind his new farmhouse is the original farmhouse where my grandfather was born.
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The following pictures were taken on our trip to Croatia last year (March, 2004) in honor of my parents 55th Wedding Anniversary. While in Split we visited with Petar Dvornik and his son, Gordon. Petar is the son of Pauline (Pave) Dvornik, who was the sister of my grandfather, Steve Dusich (Stiejpo or Stevo Ducic). Therefore, my dad (Tony) and Petar are first cousins. Gordon is a doctor and lives in Trento, Italy. Just by chance, he was visiting Split at the same time for his brother's birthday. They took us to the Lavrinac Cemetary so we could visit the grave of my grandfather.
My grandfather's gravesite. The tombstone reads: DUCIC STEVO,1888-1965,DOBROM SUPRUGU, PODIZE SUPRUGA AMA
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This is the most recent picture of my immediate Family taken on the occasion of my niece's 21st Birthday on January 29, 2005.
I'm presenting now my family to you: My father Petar (Peter) is the son of Cvijeto DUCIC and the brother of Marija DOVIC (to whom you visited home last year in Vitaljina) and Pave STAHOR (living in Dubrovnik). He is married with Yolande GIORDANO (born in Nice, France). I have an elder brother: Albert, a Civil Engineer.
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From Mike:
Fred: I saw the picture of your family and the list of family members Larry sent. Now to put a face to some of the names, click here to see my family's portrait from a few years ago.
Bottom row, left to right:
Beau Davis (nephew) Alice Dusich (Mother) Jessica Davis (niece)
Middle row:
Travis Tubbs, Denay Tubbs (niece), Steve Dusich (Father), Candy Davis (sister), Tracey Spliethoff (sister)
Back row: Me, Howard (Candy's bud), Ron Spliethoff (bro in law)
Denay is Ron and Tracy's kid, Beau and Jessica are Candy's kids. Travis is Denay's hubby.