Ilija "Louis " Markovich, 89 years old, surrounded by his family, left his home in Riverview, Florida for the final time, to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 11, 2017. As his struggle with pancreatic cancer ended, he was preceded in death by his parents John and Neda Markovich and brother Tomislav. Ilija "Lou" was born in Baresani, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 9/27/27. During his earlier years, he pursued his schooling and military obligations. He subsequently escaped the then communist regime with his young family to follow his father's footsteps as an immigrant to America. He and his family settled initially in Newark, NJ and then Springfield, NJ where he worked as a jeweler and raised 4 children with his wife Elica, a homemaker. He retired to Riverview, Florida in 2007. His passions were soccer, geography/politics and social gatherings of family and friends over good food and drink. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Elica (Stefanovska); children Juliana(Dick) Schneller, Donna (George ) DiPaolo, Mary (Peter) Wilk, and Richard Markovich; grandchildren Maxwell and Woodrow Schneller, Daniella, Juliana and Alexander DiPaolo and Hannah Wilk. His smile, love of life and intellect will be keenly missed. The honoring of his life will be at Serenity Meadows, Riverview Florida with viewing at 1:30pm and private graveside Orthodox burial service at 2:30pm with internment at Serenity Meadows Cemetery.