Honoring the Memory
of Those
We Love

Condolences

• April 11, 2026

  Nancy L. Jones

  Hi Mim and Rose....just came across Sandy Karlo's obit...Sooo shocking how suddenly so many lives end. What an Outstanding and most Beautifully written memorial you' ve both written!! Sandy would have Loved!! reading it!! Sandy and I went to junior high school together for a few years, at South High School. Both invited into the scholars program...I did not go....we lost touch, then. I remember spending time with her, as girlfriends, on a few Saturdays at her beautiful home on Carey Way. Mrs Karlo made a beautifulky decorated, and cozy home....I remember her, too....always busy. My older sister, Linda, and her family, lived at 1818 Sarah St for a long time .....must have been before Sandy moved in....but dk for sure. Linda knew Sandy, too....Linda, a fantastic trained soprano singer... worked for SS Chamber of Commerce for a while ....they might have met there...but dk for sure. Linda sang for patriotic events on the South Side. Sadly, my Sis, Lin, had a stroke in her home in South Side sev months ago, and is now partially disabled. I will let Linda know that Sandy is with our Lord. Our Dear Mother, Irene Popovich Cowan worked at St Joe's hospital as a Reg Nurse in pediatrics for a long time. She was born in 1916, and raised on Harcum Way...After a fire destroyed our home on Harcum Way...when I was in 7th grade at South High, we moved away. Our beloved Mother passed away in 1998, near Easter.....I remember how smart Sandy was.....So glad she had Angela....she must be a Whiz kid like her Mother was. I lost my Dear husband, Bill, after a long and complex illness, last May...almost a year ago. He was so sick for a long time....We had no children. At 73, I'm looking at ALFs myself right now, with a warm pool.....if Masonic Village has a warm pool....who knows....I might see you there.....I read about it ....didn't read about a warm pool. We Know that Sandy is with our Lord Jesus...in HIS heavenly kingdom. She is in perfect peace and light. We will see ourparents and loved ones again ....What a Glorious reunion that will be!! God knows our pain. HE is with us. It gets better. 1 day at a time.....In HIM, Nancy L Cowan- Jones.

• April 02, 2026

  Milana (Mim) Karlo Bizic

  She was born in the South Side Hospital In Piitsburgh on the Mayoral Election Day, Nov.3, 1953, where David Lawrence of the Democratic Party won the right to serve a third term. Our mother didn't get to cast her vote that day with her lady friends as part of the 16th Ward's "New Deal Democratic Club" at Morse Elementary School on 25th Street, right around the corner from our Karlo's Confectionary store and home, but all the nurses and visitors to the hospital voted HER newborn as absolutely the prettiest baby ever. She had captivating, questioning, big dark eyes that darted everywhere, and such a full head of dark hair that they turned into a big curl, they immediately elected to call her "Madame Pomppador!" stealing everyone's hearts. She came home with our parents, Laura and Milan Karlo, to two loving and adoring sisters, 12 and 10 years her senior, myself and Rose, and it was always as if she had three mothers. How coyly delighted she'd be when just the two of us would be riding a bus to town, the 8 yr.old youngster would loudly call me "Mim" but people heard "Mum" and would compliment me saying "You have such a beautiful daughter!" And Rose would hover over her throughout her life even more than I did. The two of them looked so much alike, despite the 10 year difference. Rose was always the big sister, willing to help with every setback our youngest sister ever faced. Sandy/then Alex- grew up in two generations, going with our gang to Brashear Settlement atop Robert Conway's shoulders, or on dates with us as safety nets or excuses. She had many of her own dear friends when she was selected to be a part of Pittsburgh's Scholar program at South Hills High School. Cousin Lorraine says she remembers Uncle Jules always saying what a big vocabulary Sandy had! Alex graduated at age 20 from the prestigious W&J College in the FIRST female full graduation class where her older sister Rose was the first female professor ever hired of four that year. Alex loved her nephew Nick from the day he was born., showering him with love and gifts even from as far away as London where she had studied English Literature and Theater with her favorite W/J Professor, Scutchins. She married West Point graduate, Jon Nolan of California in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in 1974, V.Rev.Stavs. Fr. Milan Savich and Fr. Nenad Resanovich of the Youngwood Parish officiating, and then, coming out of the Cathedral to the military crossed swords and all, such an inspiring scene. Nick was their 4 year old ring-bearer. The newlywed couple was stationed down in Georgia and Alex became an English professor at Auburn University at age 21. The family then moved to 1818 Sarah Street on Pittsburgh's SS where Jon worked for Gulf Oil and Alex worked in the Social Security office on 17th Street. And on February 17, 1979, along came Angela. Jon was then moved to Houston where besides being the best school volunteer mother ever for Angela and all her friends, she earned her Master's Degree in Public Relations. One of her proudest achievements at the Univ of Houston, was that her team with her as President, won the National First Place Award with their Levi's Company campaign and she traveled to California to receive their First Place Award. Along the way, she had became a Victorian Age expert, and mother and daughter spent many a weekend in Galveston, TX, working as volunteer docents for the Galveston Historical Society's Bishops House. Previously, both Angela and her mother had won state awards for their costumes at Old Economy in Ambridge. Following her divorce, Alex lived with Rose in Kingwood, TX, where she taught English and Debate at Kingwood High School. Alex soon became well-known Texas-wide, then nation-wide, for the great Debate book she wrote and published for students and teachers, an invaluable tool for all involved in this art. Alex moved back to Pennsylvania to teach at Mansfield University where Angela joined her for her college years and soon afterwards, Autumn, Randy and Bradford soon appeared in the scene. Alex loved those two little ones dearly, her own real-life Gingerbread grandchildren, teaching them the love of baking and family. She doted on them always to the end of her days, traveling back and forth at great expense to California just to see them all. How happy she was when her grandson Bradford called her just the day before her passing, expressing his great love and respect for his grandmother. She treasured that phone call, sharing her joy with all of us. That was just one day before!! We can't end this little tribute to Alex's memory without mentioning Dejan Maksimovich and their great love and friendship for over 25 years. We all traveled together throughout all of Europe with cousin Cheri Bobik and Kumas Mary Jane Vignović and Natalie Wuchenich with Dejan was our male protector Big Brother. His harem. Dan said he always felt like a one-eyed cat watching two mouse holes. Alex delighted in traveling and visiting, museums all around the world. But she also became an expert in East Asian artwork. She also hosted so many wonderful Easter and especially Thanksgiving dinners. She was such a tremendous cook. But for Serbian Christmas's, it was first the Bizic's home, then the Bobik's and the Trklja's for family-filled occasions. Alex also reinvented herself and became an entrepreneur with her Kitchen Cabinets business, again, using her eye for quality and precision and exactness to become one of the finest kitchen installer experts anywhere. Rose helped her get started both financially and emotionally. I would like you all to remember how hard she worked to help the Serbs with her PR skills over the many years., especially as the Secretary for the Serbian Unity Congress where she was very highly respected by Serbian giants Mike Djordjevic, Nick Petrovich, George Vujnovich and Nick Lalich for her speaking abilities, her writing and PR skills. OSS heroes George and Nick simply adored her. It was at the SUC meeting in Cleveland where she met Dan Maksimovich, who was translating Serbian speeches to Alex, whispering in her ear. One day, a few years earlier, she had stopped to visit then unmarried Alex Malich, working so hard on nationwide Serbian Relief efforts in his small apartment across from the American Serbian Club. She noticed his tiny black and white TV. "How can you work so hard handling and giving thousands to others when you only have that TV?" Alex Malich remembers her returning with a brand new color TV. She was always the Giver, generous to a fault. You never did one thing for her without her trying to pay you back ten-fold. She repaid Gus's kindness to her, when Gus moved her to Georgia when she got married, then from TX to Mansfield and then to WV, by always being there on weekends to help take care of him after his massive stroke that left him paralyzed, traveling at least 5 hours each way, come rain, sleet or snow to help me with his care. She had a big heart. Her life despite all her accomplishments was hard and she faced many challenges, one after another, so many that my mother-in-law, Dorothy Bizic ,once said sadly, "It's like this angel was born under a big rain cloud." And yet, Alex persevered through so many of these great hardships, whether physical, mental, emotional -that would have brought the rest of us down to our knees and reeling. She battled all her tragedies, illnesses and allergies by being overly generous to everyone. Her passing the way she did was so sad. And totally unexpected. Rose and I looked forward to sharing our carefree life at Masonic Village with her. She was looking forward to selling her home to be able to afford living in the Masonic Village and Rose and I were so happy that we split and paid the $1,000.00 deposit Entrance fee as a welcome to her in advance. All of our MVS friends were looking forward to her living with us. We talked about how her apartment would be the most beautiful. And at 12 and 10 years the younger, we always teased that she was going to be "our legs." But God had another plan. Cousin Denny told me to invite Alex to join us at the Fish Fry on Friday. I called, but there was no answer. Rose suspected something was fishy, and it wasn't the fish fry as more calls and texts went unanswered. We emerged on the scene and found she had suffered a massive brain aneurysm. She gave up her life the following morning at St. Clair Hospital with Rose, Dejan and praying or singing her favorite Serbian songs to her throughout the night. We hope she heard us. We'd like to think Alex is now in God's hands and that He will elect to have her soul delivered to Heaven with all our relatives and friends. 'Ive heard it said that during Lent, the doors to Heaven open earlier. And how fitting that a life that began on Election Day... when she was "voted" the most beautiful baby in the hospital... has now come to this final moment, where we trust that God, in His mercy and love, has chosen her once again. May God reward her for her many good deeds she performed on this earth and welcome her into His Heavenly Kingdom Memory Eternal. Vjecnaja Pamjat. Thank you to Fr. Rajko for reaching out so early to us, bringing us comfort and reassurance.

• April 01, 2026

  Patti Vignovich Bush

  Angela, Mim, Rose and Family. I was so saddened to see the passing of your beloved Alexandra, known to me as Sandy. I lived in Carey Way and have many fond memories of the time I spent with Sandy, hanging out in front of your house or helping Sandy with chores (dusting) while admiring the collection of family treasures that adorned your house. She even taught me about the stock market! She was also the voice of reason and the peacemaker when the kids in the alley would squabble. Many of us looked up to and respected her. So many good memories will live on in my heart forever. She is one of them. May her Memory be Eternal and may God bless all of you. Love, Patti Vignovich Bush (Angela- your little friend Timmy's mom if you remember)