Mary "Pat" Patricia Baic

Mary “Pat” Patricia Baic, 80, of Traverse City passed away Thursday, May 25, 2017 at Munson Hospice House with her loving family by her side following a brief two month battle with cancer. Pat was born on June 2, 1936 in Crandon,WI to the late Chester Francis “Hap” and Viola ”Vi”(Gabel) O’Brien. She met the love of her life Vojin Baic at the Milwaukee Light Opera Company. The couple were married on November 24, 1956 in Milwaukee and together they raised five wonderful children. Pat briefly pursued a nursing education following high school and before her marriage to Vojin. She cherished and embraced her role as a proud and dedicated wife and mother and loved supporting all of her family in a wide array of activities and interests. Pat was also an active participant as well in various sports especially enjoying tennis, volleyball, skiing and hiking, often with family members. Pat and Vojin fell in love with the Grand Traverse area during several trips up north and in 1966 moved from Grand Rapids to their 6th street home in Traverse City. Pat enjoyed cooking and baking for family and friends and was particularly enthusiastic about serving the ethnic Serbian recipes she proudly learned from her mother-in-law Sofija. Her Serbian crepes (palacinki), fresh from the pan, were a special treat consumed and appreciated by family and guests. Her Sunday pancakes were plentiful and popular too. The Baic home was always a welcoming environment and playground for the Central neighborhood kids. When the older children started college, she went to work in the Corporate Accounting Office at Munson Medical Center and retired in 2006. After her retirement she was a regular volunteer at Munson right up until January of this year. Pat greatly enjoyed traveling and had the opportunity on several occasions to visit different countries in Europe with Vojin. Throughout her life, Pat deeply appreciated and engaged herself in many art forms. She liked to sing and played the piano, especially in her younger years. Sharing her drawings, paintings, and other artwork with family, friends, neighbors, and even casual acquaintances gave her great joy. Her artwork, often whimsical, reflected her welcomed interactions with dogs, cats, birds, and almost any animal. With so many interests, Pat still found time to enjoy hundreds of books and in her earlier years loved to trek to the old Traverse Area District Library with her children. Pat continued to share her passion for the arts, cooking, books, and appreciation of sports with her grandchildren and great-grandchild and especially enjoyed following their activities. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, Pat was also a great friend to many. She was a wonderful woman and she will be deeply missed. Surviving Pat is her loving husband of over 60 years; children, Ivanka (Steve) Berkshire of Traverse City, Milan (Carrie) Baic of Williamsburg, Nickola (Anne) Baic of Boyne City, Maria Weist of York Haven, PA, Annie (Darrell) Pifer of Portage, MI; grandchildren, Erica (John) O’Hearn, Lindsay (Taylor) Ball, Brendan Baic, Nickolas and Ben Weist, Jennifer and Katie Pifer; great-grandchildren, Traverse O’Hearn and one on the way Finnley O’Hearn, and many other loving family members and friends. Pat is preceded in death by her parents, mother-in-law Sofija Baic, siblings Nikola Baic and Olga Champt, grandson Christopher Paul Baic, and great-grandson Christopher Milan O’Hearn. Visitation will be held from 4-6pm with a 4pm rosary recitation, at the Reynods-Jonkhoff Funeral Home on Thursday, June 1, 2017. Mass will be held at Immaculate Conception Church on Friday, June 2, at 11am. Fr. Anthony Citro will serve as celebrant. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Munson Hospice House or The Traverse Area District Library. Kindly share thoughts and memories with Pat’s family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com . The family is being cared for by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home.