Ernest Minarich and Jillian Minarich
Recorded
June 28, 2022
Archived
June 28, 2022
40:59 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
atl004656
Description
Jillian Minarich (37) talks with her dad, Ernest "Ernie" Minarich (68), about their family's Croatian history and how they came to be in the United States. Other topics include childhood memories and college.Subject Log / Time Code
Jillian Minarich (37) says their family is Croatian. Ernest "Ernie" Minarich (68) says his great grandfather got on the wrong boat and the family ended up in Brazil. He says the family eventually migrated to Joilet, Illinois.
Jillian says Ernie was the baby of the baby. Ernie talks about growing up with other Croatians.
Ernie talks about his father's job with Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (EJE). He says his father worked in the office with computers, not in the train yard.
Jillian asks if Ernie's dad, Poppy, was stationed in India during WWII.
Ernie says his father was kept from progressing in high school. He says his father was told that being Croatian meant he would work in the steel mill.
Ernie says his mom got her GED (General Education Development) when she was 49 years old. He says she then studied nursing in Chicago.
Jillian asks about Ernie's childhood on Bluff Street in Joliet. Ernie says everyone had a nickname that you called out loud instead of knocking on doors. He remembers playing ball near the polluted canal and riding the bridge up and down.
Ernie says there was a chemical plant where they'd ice skate and play hockey. He says the water near the plant never totally froze.
Ernie says he had two sisters, Cindy and Lee. He remembers Cindy joining the Navy when she was 17. He says they became closer as adults.
Ernie says he is more like his mom, Gram. He says she was a hard worker.
Ernie talks about his mom having the flu every Sunday.
Jillian first heard the name Spiro Agnew from Gram. She says it surprised her to learn that Spiro Agnew was a real person.
Ernie remembers a few favorite memories of his mom. He talks about noodles and beans cooked in lard, which was a meal he liked.
Ernie says his dad loved baseball. He says his dad hated cars and rarely washed the one he owned. Ernie remembers writing the score of a baseball game in the dirt on the family car.
Ernie says he went to Joliet Catholic Academy for high school. He says he then attended Loyola University. As a sophomore, Ernie says he transferred to the University of Illinois. He says the only place left to live on campus was called Derelict House.
Ernie explains the bike toss and says he perfected it.
Ernie asks Jillian why she changed her living arrangements during college.
Jillian talks about getting a full ride to MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. She talks about studying deaf education. Jillian says it was novel for school to be fun.
Ernie says he is amazed at the things Jillian has accomplished.
Jillian talks about coming home from Cameroon and being extremely sick. She says her mom took her by bus to a doctor who turned out to be an Army medic. Jillian says the medicine he prescribed made her vomit foam. She says she is convinced he saved her life.
Ernie and Jillian talk about the song Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens. When asked if Ernie has advice for his younger self, he says he really doesn't. He says he didn't know to do things differently. He says you are hard-wired a certain way.
Participants
- Ernest Minarich
- Jillian Minarich