Anton (Tony) Rendulic, 87, of Lenexa, KS, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2019, at Westchester Village Healthcare facility in Lenexa. He was born in a small village near Ogulin, Croatia, to Marko and Anka Rendulic (Pavlic). After serving a two-year term in the Yugoslav Army, he started his career as a treasurer and a payroll clerk for the area’s largest forestry, logging and wood products company. In 1955 he married his long-time sweetheart Lilly and they had two children before the family immigrated to the United States and settled in Kansas City, Kansas in 1970. He helped organize the Croatian American Social Club and served as a board member for many years. The club offered opportunities for Croatian immigrants and their families to gather and enjoy their traditional foods, drinks, songs and dances. Tony retired from Best Tool & Manufacturing where he worked as a machinist for 22 years. He and his wife of 64 years enjoyed their retirement together. They made several trips to their homeland to visit friends and relatives but no vacation was complete without sunny beaches along the Adriatic coast, Mexico, Florida, Caribbean or Hawaii. Tony enjoyed swimming, gardening, fishing and helping his children and grandchildren. He was a hard-working man with strong family values. He was honest, sociable and a fun-loving person who could carry a conversation with everyone and his big smile could light-up a room. Even during his last days, while he experienced difficult pain, his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren could bring a smile to his face. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and a sister.
Tony is survived by his wife Lilly; sons Walter (Mary) Rendulic; Kruno (Nada) Rendulic; grandchildren Monica (Carlos) Bello; Diane (Aaron) Winter; David Rendulic; great-grandchildren Julian and Adrian Bello; brother-in-law Ivan Tokic; sisters-in-law Mary Gasparovic and Millie Squibb; and nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Dr. John Mahon, staff at Westchester Village and the staff at Ascend Hospice for their exceptional care, compassion and support.
Visitation will be on Monday, 4/22/2019 from 5-7 PM. at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia, Lenexa, Ks, with a Rosary prayed at 6:30 PM, 913-438-6444. Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 13615 West 92nd Street, Lenexa, Ks, on Tuesday, 4/23/2019 at 10:30 AM.