On December 7, 2012 Simo Milkovich had quietly passed away at the Westmoreland Manor Nursing Home in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Many of the staff came to his room to pay their last respects when they learned of his passing. Those who knew Simo would not find this surprising because he was a friendly and congenial kind of a guy. The staff at this facility had provided Simo with excellent care.

Simo’s passing came as no surprise being he was in his 90’s. In February 2012, David Milkovich, Simo’s nephew, advised me that Simo was in a state of transitional decline due to age. There was no real medical reason for the decline. Other than the weight loss, he was still responsive cognitively and still maintaining his current constitution. He would maintain this status until November 28, 2012 when David advised me that Simo was in a pronounced state of decline. He was not eating or taking any medication and was losing weight again so the decision was made to put him in hospice care. He would still remain in the same facility without being moved and receive around the clock comfort care.

His passing occurred shortly after Reverend Rasko Kosic and David Milkovich had visited him and Reverend Kosic from the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had administered the last rites of the church.

A few days later Simo laid in state at the Holy Trinity Cathedral prior to his funeral service. After the service Simo was interned in the St George’s Serbian Orthodox Cemetery in Pittsburgh. Simo’s nephew David took care of the funeral arrangements and gave Simo a sendoff fitting for a CEO.

If Simo could observe the proceedings in his honor he would be extremely humble and proud. Dressed in a new suit and fashionable shirt and neck tie, Simo would be extremely proud that the use of this cathedral and the mourners in attendance were there on his behalf.

After the service at the cemetery, all in attendance were invited to have lunch in Simo's honor at Armstrong's restaurant, one of the favorite dining places of the Milkovich family. Simo's presence was felt as he served as the welcoming host in spirit for this last gathering to celebrate his life and departure.

Simo was then ready to embark on a trip to be reunited with his family in the afterlife. His sole existence of living was again to be part of his family.

To better understand his thinking some background of Simo’s early years is necessary. Simo was the fourth of five children of Milic and Draginja (Dorothy) Milkovich. They lived in a small modest home in Youngwood, Pennsylvania. Within six months of each other both parents passed away and the four children were orphaned in 1925. The youngest (fifth) child had died in 1923 at the age of 9 1/2 months. The siblings were disbursed among relatives with Simo taken in by Mrs. Merij (Mary) Kluet, his mother’s step sister. She cared for Simo until she could no longer control him and at the age of seven years old he was placed in a Pennsylvania state mental hospital on December 16, 1927 where he was diagnosed as severely retarded. He would remain at this facility for approximately 50 years before being transferred to the Exceptional Development Center at Torrance State Hospital, Torrance, Pennsylvania in January 1978. He remained at Torrance for approximately four years and then was placed in an assisted living facility on a farm in New Derry, PA. Here Simo demonstrated he was capable of learning and given a chance at an earlier age to learn would have been a much more productive individual.

Simo did get to again meet his brother Milan Milkovich. His sister Helen predeceased him before he was located. His sister Bertha's disposition is unknown. The amazing thing about Simo’s life is that he lived a grueling degrading existence in the state system but was the last sibling standing before passing away two weeks prior to his 93rd birthday.

This book is about the circumstances or probably better classified, was divine intervention which led to finding Simo. The search which resulted in Simo’s address came about as a result of trying to locate Simo’s sister, Bertha, who went to India and was last heard from in 1968. Her whereabouts or remains were never determined. She is presumed deceased.

In June 2013 an inquiry was sent to the U.S. Department of State to determine if they had any record of Report of Death Abroad for Aunt Bertha. When an American citizen dies abroad and the American Embassy or Consulate is informed of the death, the Consular Officer prepares an original Report of Death. There is no record for the death of Bertha Milich on file.

So the mystery remains. Has Aunt Bertha passed on and her death not reported or is she still alive somewhere in India?