Barbara (Barica) Mataya

Barbara (Barica) Mataya was born on November 30, 1922 in Mrkopalj, Gorski Kotar, Croatia. After finishing school she went to work in Zagreb. She married her next door neighbor, Lovro Mataya on June 5th 1949. Six children later, one of whom died in infancy, her husband escaped from the then, Yugoslavia. From Austria he immigrated to America. Barica and the children followed in 1964. She became a widow in 1969 and went to work for the O’Berto Sausage Company as a meat packer. She retired from there in her early sixties and spent the remainder of her life with her children, grandchildren and extended family in Seattle and Vancouver, BC.

Barica lived a long, hard and happy life. Her time is Mrkopalj was spent working in the fields, tending to her garden and caring for the farm animals. Her faith and church were always important and a big part of her life. From Crkve Majke Bozje od Sedam Zalosti in Mrkopalj, to St George’s in Seattle, Santa Barbara’s in Black Diamond, St Stephen’s in Renton to her final church service at Saint Philomena’s in Des Moines she never missed a Sunday or Holy Day.

As a young girl in the big city of Zagreb, Barica learned to love baking. She perfected many of her recipes there including Zarko Naresci, Breskve and Apple Strudel. Many of her recipes have been passed on to her children, grandchildren and others in the Croatian community. They will be enjoyed for generations to come.

In her retirement, Barica sewed and crocheted costumes for the Seattle Junior Tamburitzans. Her granddaughters Jacqueline and Stephanie and grandson Steven are former members and grandson Zeljko is a current member. She loved seeing them perform and was so pleased that that they enjoyed their Croatian heritage.

Barica suffered a fall two and a half years ago and her health declined quickly after that. She passed away Thursday, January 27th at 7:20pm. She was surrounded by her children Josie, Frank, Toni, Marija and John, her daughters-in-law Mary and Darlene and grandson Zeljko. In spirit with her were her other grandchildren Jacqueline, Steven, Christopher and Stephanie and son-in-law Milan. She was loved and will be missed by all her family including sister and brother-in-law Milka and Vlatko Crnkovic, nieces, nephews and other relatives in the Seattle area, Canada, Croatia, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden.