Milan Vukovich Jr.

Milan Vukovich, Jr. died at the age of 90 on May 26, 2017 at Kobacker Hospice House. He was born March 11, 1927 in Columbus, Ohio and was a graduate of Mifflin High School, class of 1945. Milan enlisted in the Army Enlisted Reserve Corps in 1944 and went on to graduate from Field Artillery Officer Candidate School on September 14, 1946. That same day he married his high-school sweetheart at Fort Sill, OK. He was commissioned 1st Lieutenant in the US Army Field Artillery until 1949, when he was honorably discharged. He went on to serve in the Army Reserve until 1953. In 1952, he graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Ceramic Engineering and went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Science in 1954. From 1952-1954 he was a Research Associate for the OSU Research Foundation. He worked for Cabot Corporation of Cambridge, MA as Research Engineer from 1954-1957. From 1957-1962 he served as Sales & Service Engineer in their Minerals and Chemicals Division in Columbus, Ohio. He went on to become General Manager and Research Director of the Edward Orton Jr Ceramic Foundation from 1962 until he retired in 1993. Milan was a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society, Treasurer of the Central Ohio Section, a member of the National Institute of Ceramic Engineers, Sigma XI, Tau Beta Pi, Keramos, and Sigma Gamma Epsilon. He served as President of the National Ceramic Manufacturers Association. He received the W.E. Cramer Award for outstanding service along with numerous other awards for his contributions to education and outstanding service in the ceramic industry. He signed or co-signed a total of 8 patents during his lifetime. He was an avid horseman having owned, raised, and raced Standardbreds for over 40 years. Milan leaves behind the love of his life for the last 70 years, Peggy Mae (Heil), daughters Mary Lou Paoletti (Karl) and Linda Pilarski (Brent), grandchildren Ty Jacobus, Lindsay Mueller (Dave), Trevor Davids (Bibi), Joanna Brown (Jesse) and 15 great-grandchildren. He also leaves behind his brother Dewey Vukovich of Iowa, family friend Diane Mohrfeld, nieces Marcia (Jeff) and Martha, nephews Mark (Char) and Matthew (Colleen), a cousin, Dragan Vukovich (Nancy) and second-cousins Donna Woods(Don) and Carol Campbell (Geoff) along with other close family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father Milan Vukovich and his mother Mary Krneta Lalich. A Funeral Service will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, June 1, 2017, at RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, 515 High Street, Worthington, Ohio 43085 where the family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until service time. The Milan’s family would like to thank the loving staff at Kobacker, and ask that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Kobacker Hospice House of Columbus, Ohio in Milan’s memory.

Milan Vukovich Jr.

March 11, 1927 - May 26, 2017