Dragan Vitkovic

A GOODBYE "ZBOGOM" TO DRAGAN VITKOVIC (August 10, 1932 – May 30, 2023)

It is with SADNESS in our hearts that we announce after an eleven-year battle suffering from Parkinson’s disease Dragan Vitkovic was released from its vicious grip and thankfully passed peacefully away at the Gardens at Stroud, in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania (PA, USA) on May 30, 2023, in his 90th year. One thing is certain, those who knew Dragan, or otherwise known as “Jarac” (his nickname as a child), “Papa”, “Mr. Vic”, “Mister”, or simply “Vic”, will miss his JOIE D'VIVE. Dragan was the type of person who could enter a room full of chattering noisy people and immediately take center stage. Regardless of what setting, era, or situation, whomever encountered Dragan was immediately taken by his larger-than-life personality.

Born in Turbe, of the former Yugoslavia, Dragan was a linguist, fluent in English, German, French and his native language. He was a graduate of the High School of Belgrade and studied law and economics at the University of Belgrade from 1950 - 1958. For one year after that, Dragan was a captain in the Yugoslav Army, training with Anti-Aircraft. Dragan’s professions included, in Yugoslavia, trade logistics specialist between Belgium and Yugoslavia for Hambro Import/Exports. In the early 1960’s as a drummist musician, Dragan was a member of the Belgrade Symphony Orchestra and toured with the Aleksandar Subota band & the Dragan Vitas “Dragans” music group. The Vitas group was contracted by the USA Military Entertainment Division to play in military officer level night clubs in Berlin, Germany and Western Germany, plus entered and won many jazz festival titles along the way. While in the United Kingdom, Dragan entered the world of Hotel Management, thru the Trust House Fortes Hotel Management Training Program for Joint Married Couples, the largest hotel company throughout the UK and subsidiary of Hallway Hotels Overseas. This training & subsequent employment in the UK lead to decades spent in the Caribbean Islands as general manager of luxury resort hotels in St. Lucia, Martinique, Antiqua, Aruba, Curacao, and St. Martin and eventually to the United States, working for the Concord Hotel in New York, at the Mount Airy Lodge in Mount Pocono, PA, and other prominent northeast PA resort hotels until retirement.

Dragan was also a professional soccer player, who truly loved the sport. Throughout Dragan's lifetime, soccer was always a prominent part of his life and was ignited by his father’s involvement as a referee. In Yugoslavia, in his youth, as goal keeper, he represented the Crvena Zvezda Red Star Club, the Partizan Belgrade team; his University Team, which travelled all of Europe, and the Yugoslav National Team. In Europe he was a member of Eintracht Frankfurt on the Bundesliga Tour. While in the Caribbean not only did Dragan organize hotel soccer teams but was active in organizing Inter-Island Competitions. While in the US, up until his mid 70’s, Dragan played in the Pocono & Stroudsburg, PA area with the Lehigh Valley Soccer League representing Pocono Snow, Bethlehem Jeff’s and Allentown Sports Club. In the spring of 2004, at 71 years of age, Dragan was inducted into the Lehigh Valley Soccer Hall of Fame and was selected due to his longtime dedication to soccer at both the amateur and professional levels. During the time of the induction, Dragan was still playing, most recently having won a championship with his over 40 club team just one season prior. While resting at the Bensing-Thompson Funeral home in Stroudsburg, PA, Dragan’s last few to pay their respects were close friends who truly became his family after decades of touring the northeast while “kicking the ball” together. They refer to Dragan as a legend.

Dragan was also a son, uncle, cousin, husband and father. Dragan was born to parents Chedomir Vitkovic & Dragica Vitkovic (nee Gakic), both of whom are deceased. Dragica tragically died on October 16, 1944, at the age of 35, on the liberation day of Belgrade, from a stray bullet. Cedomir passed away at the age of 82 on February 5, 1986.

In 1964 Dragan married Patricia May Seed. The couple met in Belgrade, Yugoslavia while Patricia, a British citizen, was working at the British Embassy as a member of the British Foreign Service. They were divorced in 2007. They have two daughters, Alexandra and Natasha, who are equally invested in top sport as US equestrian professionals. Dragan is survived by his US family, Patricia, Alexandra, and Natasha; and by his Yugoslav family, Ljiljana Vucic nee Vitkovic (1st cousin), Mirjana Kovacevic nee Vitkovic (1st cousin), Danica Vitkovic (1st cousin's wife), Nieces and nephews Vesna Radovic, Ljiljana Cetinic, Katarina Keanie, Tanja Gracin, Milos Vucic, Radmila Prairie, Vlatko Kovacevic, Slobodan Delic, Ljiljana Vitkovic, Stanko Vitkovic, Boris Radosavljevic, Marina Radosavljevic, Boris Jurcevic, Marela Nizic, & Marina Jurcevic, Dragica Vignjevic nee Gaković (1st cousin), and families Stanivuković, Prodanović, Bojić, Kondić, Krstić, Ković, Mijić i Mandić.

No service is planned, and the Bensing Thomas Funeral is in charge of his cremation arrangements.

As Dragan was so influenced by soccer and his local community, all donations in his memory are kindly asked to be sent to Keystone Athletic Club Scholarship Fund. Their need-based program for families supplies opportunities for children who cannot otherwise afford access to youth soccer. To donate in Dragan’s honor, please send payment and dedication messages to Rob Riedmiller, Keystone Athletics Club Treasurer, PO Box 209, 607 Glendale Road, Sciota, PA 18354.

To listen to Dragan playing on the drums click here: Surrey With the Fringe of Top Saša Subota Quartet (Belgrade) 1961 - YouTube.

To read about a day in the life of a tourist in Curacao, when Dragan was the hotel manager, click here: Curacao: To Like the Place You Have to Accept the Pace - The New York Times (nytimes.com).