Jennie Smilanich

Jennie Rose(Kern) Smilanich
On Wednesday, November 27, 2013 Jennie peacefully went into the arms of Jesus.  Jennie was born on March 8, 1926 in Hibbing, MN, the daughter of Caroline and Joseph Kern (Step-father, Stanley Fink).  On May 25, 1946 she married Robert "Bowser" Smilanich. They resided in Chisholm, MN.  In 1959 they moved to Kalamazoo, MI and opened Bimbo's Pizza and Bowser's Night Club.  They were the parents of five children.  In 1972 they returned to Chisholm.  Jennie always looked forward  to visits from her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, siblings, and other extended family and friends.  There are many fond memories of sitting around her kitchen table drinking coffee and eating the food that she would prepare.  Some of Jennie's favorite dishes were pork chops and fried potatoes, sour potatoes, spaghetti and meatballs, scotcharoo bars and pink cookies.  She was especially known for her Slovenian dishes:  sarmas and poticas.  Jennie moved back to Kalamazoo in 2008. She was an amazing woman with a huge heart.  She took great pride in her children and grandchildren.  Jennie gave unconditional love to everyone she new.  She will be greatly missed.  Jennie was preceded in death by her parents, three siblings:  Caroline (Kern) Bold, Florence (Kern) Casey, Joseph Kern, and great-granddaughter Grace Town.  Jennie is survived by her three siblings Francie (Fink) Calliguri, Marion (Fink) Shevich and Stanley Fink.  She is also survived by her children Robert,  Ron (Sue), Deryl (Tom), Debbie, and Mark along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Ron and Deryl's family celebrated Jennie's life in a service at Life Story Funeral Home on Sunday, December 1, in Portage, MI.   A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Hibbing, MN on Thursday, December 5th at 11:00 am, with a visitation starting one hour prior.  She will be laid to rest next to her husband Robert at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing.  Memorials may be made to either the Hibbing or Chisholm Community Foundations.

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