Obituary of Zoran Miletic

Zoran Miletić, son to Milosav and Dušica, brother to Bojan, husband to Jelica and father to Vesna and Ana was born on September 21, 1952, in Dobrnje, Serbia. There will never be enough words to describe the talented multi-hyphenate, loving father, husband and brother that was Zoran Miletić. His friends, family and co-workers will remember him for his brilliance, curiosity, artistry, infectious sense of humor and compassion. Zoran embarked on his journey to the United States as a 23-year old in 1975. As a talented self-taught guitarist, Zoran was quickly able to find his own community of fellow music enthusiasts in the New York/New Jersey area. He was no less than a rock star, performing alongside his bandmates of the talented group, Do Re Mi. Zoran’s talents were recognized by many, including the Yugoslavian singer, Lepa Lukić, whom he had the opportunity to support on stage. Led Zeppelin songs came easy to him – the incredible speed of his fingers left many in awe. Near and dear to his heart was a love for painting, a self-taught craft he seamlessly perfected; he had aspired to spend his days in retirement alongside an electric guitar, a Marshall amp, an easel, and a paint brush. Zoran’s way of life was guided by the Christian Orthodox church. His devotion to the Lord reflected his calm demeanor, kind heart and warm smile. On Zoran’s calendar, Wednesdays and Fridays were days of fasting. He honored every forty-day Holy fast leading up to Christmas and Easter, never skipping out on a year. His dedication to the Lord gave him the strength and resilience to constantly set higher goals for himself and push his own limits. Eventually starting his own contracting company, 3M Reliable, Zoran proved that he could do it all, incorporating his artistic proclivity into his work as a self-taught (again) architect, contractor, tool maker and so forth. Zoran’s warm energy, positive attitude and fine-tuned skills quickly turned clients into loyal friends and family. This may not read as a typical obituary – perhaps it’s longer than most. The impact Zoran has made on the world he lived in and the lives he touched could never be fully captured with the words we’ll find in today’s dictionaries. Zoran loved deeply and was loved by all. Among the Serbian community, he was known as a dignified friend, always ready to lend a hand, always equipped with high morals and pure intentions. His family in Dobrnje will forever remember him as the humble big fish in a small pond. His wife and daughters will forever remember him as their rock, the one person who never gave them less than 110% of his time, loyalty, energy and love. Let us all remember Zoran Miletić as a true gift to this world, a world he had departed too soon.