Slobodan Cvetković

Slobodan Cvetković passed away on January 31st, 2025, in Ottawa, ON at the age of 71.

He was born on April 11th, 1953, in Belgrade, Yugoslavia to parents Katarina Štefok and Svetomir Cvetković. He leaves behind his wife Mladenka, cousin Slobodanka (Petrović), children Katarina (Carl Faehrmann), Jelena (Yanie Nicole), Maja (Jon Midwood), and grandchildren Helen, Heidi, and Otis.

Slobodan made friends easily, had a sharp wit and easy-going nature, and was quick to make a joke, followed by a smile. Slobodan’s heart was split between his love and commitment to his family and his love for his homeland and culture. As a father, he kept his kids connected to their culture and encouraged them to speak their native tongue, which made him proud. He protected his family and provided them with shelter, love, and nourishment.

On May 15th, 1990, Slobodan, his wife, and three daughters left Yugoslavia to start a new life in Hamilton, Ontario. While living in Hamilton, Slobodan and Mladenka made some close friends from the Serbian and former-Yugoslavian community. They attended many “Slava‘s”, hosted dinners and their own Slava, always with energetic and lively conversations. Slobodan developed a passion for cooking for guests and family; he was a natural and must have inherited the skill from his mother. His other big passion was fishing. Waking before dawn, tacklebox and rods ready, he loved fishing along the banks of the Grand River, the Ottawa River at Petrie and Bate Island, and of course, the Danube and Sava Rivers in Belgrade.

He had many stories to share, especially of his travels and meeting someone and sharing world life experiences. He loved history, geography and reading and always knew what was going on in the world, politics-wise. Becoming a grandfather or ‘deka’ was a joyful chapter in Slobodan's (Bob’s) life; his first granddaughter Helen was born in 2008, and he got to watch her grow from a toddler to a teenager, helping take care of her regularly and spoiling her with treats. The day Heidi was born he drove from Ottawa to Toronto to meet her, he and Mladenka bursting with joy for a new baby in the family. A few years later Otis was born, and the two grandparents joined the family on a trip across the ocean to Serbia, proudly showing baby Otis and three-year old Heidi the sights of their city.

As Slobodan aged, his heart issues and diabetes persisted, and eventually his kidney function deteriorated. May he rest in peace, after months of illness. We will always remember his humour and conversation, fun games, passion for sports, and legendary snoring. He taught us the importance of a strong work ethic, hospitality, and pride in our heritage. He will forever be a part of us, as expressed in the following poem, composed by his wife:

Hard-driven away

From impact of nature, when waves became warm, and make you part of them,

you will float through them, as you float through me, us, with a huge power you possessed!

Rivers will drift!

The family will have a simple celebration of life in the spring, as per his wishes, on the shores of a river. If you would like to make a donation in Slobodan’s name, he would have appreciated any of the following: Heart and Stroke Foundation, Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa Civic Hospital, Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, Diabetes Canada, and Novak Djokovic Foundation.