Charles Jelavich

Charles Jelavich age 90 of Bloomington passed away Tuesday morning April 23, 2013 at Meadowood Health Pavilion. He was born on November 15, 1922 in Mountain View, California to Martin and Katrina Duganzich Jelavich. Charles graduated from Mountain View High School in 1940, and earned a BA from the University of California at Berkeley in 1944. There he met Barbara Brightfield, and they married in September 1944. Charles served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946, the last year stationed in post war Berlin. After his military service, Charles returned to the University of California at Berkeley; in 1949 he completed his doctorate in History and joined the faculty there. In 1961 Charles and Barbara Moved to Bloomington, where they both became faculty members in the History Department at Indiana University. For the next thirty-two years they taught courses there on East European history. Based on years of research in Europe, they wrote numerous books, either singly or jointly, on various aspects of Balkan history; the works by Charles focused on nationalist movements and ideologies in that region. Their two sons followed them into academics, with one also becoming an historian. Charles was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers, Lawrence and William; and his wife Barbara, who died in 1995. Charles is survived by his two sons, Mark Jelavich and wife Janet of Maryville, Missouri, and Peter Jelavich of Baltimore, Maryland; two grandchildren, Abigail Jelavich and husband Kerry Poppa, of San Jose, California, and Michael Jelavich of St. Louis, Missouri. Charles is also survived by his companion of recent years, Marian Armstrong, of Bloomington. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday April 26, 2013 at 11:00AM at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. Fr. Thomas Kovatch will preside. Charles will be laid to rest next to his wife Barbara in Santa Clara, California, on Friday May 3, 2013. Visitation will be held Thursday April 26, 2013 from 6:00PM until 8:00PM at Allen Funeral Home 4155 South Old Highway 37. Memorial contributions may be made in Charles's name to the IU History Department C/O The Indiana University Foundation, P.O.Box 500, Bloomington, Indiana 47408, and online condolences may be sent to the family at www.allenfuneralhome.org.

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Charles Jelavich

November 15, 1922 - April 23, 2013