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Obituary:Milt Vucinich |
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Milt Vucinich
Resident of San Mateo Milt was born on November 1st,
1920 in San Francisco to Yugoslav immigrants. He was a child of the Great Depression.
His father died at a young age and Milt went to work during high school to support his
mother and younger sister while attending Lowell High School. His athletic prowess
would open doors for him. He graduated from Lowell in 1938 where he was captain of
the football team. The local newspapers referred to him as "The Gem of his Generation"
because of his athletic ability. Later he would be inducted into the San Francisco Prep
Hall of Fame. He attended Stanford University on an athletic scholarship where he
played both football and baseball. He excelled at football and played both fullback and
linebacker. He also played on Stanford's only undefeated football team that beat
Nebraska in the Rose Bowl in 1941. They were known as the "WOW" Boys. When the
war broke out, he enlisted in the Navy. He also married his high school sweetheart Vera
Angelich who he met when they were both sixteen. She was the love of his life. During
the war he served as Skipper of a PT boat in the South Pacific. He fought in the Marshall
Islands, the Solomon Islands and the Philippines. Many of the battles he fought in are
now the subject of books and documentaries. His squadron escorted General Douglas
MacAthur back to Corregidor. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V". After
the war, he had to follow up on a pre war commitment to football. He had been recruited
by George Halas of the Chicago Bears and spent the next year playing linebacker for
the Bears. The following year a new franchise formed in San Francisco and while he
would have preferred to play with his many friends on the Forty Niners football team, he
had to honor his commitment to Mr. Halas. Thus he decided to enter the business world
and return to San Francisco. Milt had a long and successful career in the insurance
business working until age 72. He also had a minor interest as one of the original
owners of a basketball team then known as the San Francisco Warriors. Among his
many business accounts were the San Francisco Giants and Golden Gate Warriors. A
list of Milts close friends and associates going back in time would read like a Who"s
Who of the Bay Area. He had many friends in San Francisco from the old days, Stanford
University, the Navy, sports, business and through golf, especially from the Cf
youalfornia Golf Club where he was a member for 41 years. He led a great life and was
always happy for the success of others. He was a man of great personality and integrity
who always had a smile on his face. At his request, there will be no services. However,
his family requests that if you can, please make a donation to your favorite charity in his
name. He would like that.
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