Milan Vlaisavljevich Adrian

Beloved father of Amanda Adrian and devoted husband to Linda Adrian, passed away on 11/25 in his adopted hometown of Longboat Key, Florida, at the age of 80. 

Born on July 4, 1945, to Andja and Milan Vlaisavljevich, Milan and his twin sister, Janet, were celebrated as “miracle babies,” arriving after 20 years of marriage and on a day of national significance.

Raised under difficult circumstances in an immigrant community on Chicago’s south side, he had the good fortune to be endowed with book smarts, street smarts, and a natural athleticism. The first in his family to go to college, he attended Lake Forest College, where he played football and baseball, wrote for the school paper, majored in Russian, and met his first wife, Betsy. Milan spent summers back home working at a steel mill, where he earned enough money to put himself and his sister through school. 

Upon graduation, he found himself in the Army during the Vietnam War. While not an enthusiastic participant in the conflict, he served honorably and earned numerous commendations for his service. Because of his linguistic aptitude, he was sent to the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he learned Chinese and was assigned to intelligence duties. 

After his military service, Milan and Betsy moved back to Chicago. Milan owned a successful photography business, and later had a fruitful career in financial services. They raised their daughter, Amanda, along with numerous cats and one ill-fated rabbit. Milan took up running in his 30s and was an avid racer, even running marathons and achieving a personal best of 2 hours and 59 minutes. Milan was a loving and involved father, and together he and Amanda spent countless hours playing catch, watching action movies while eating peanut M&M’s, going for walks, cooking, flying kites, and doing lots of math homework.

 In a stroke of mid-life good luck, Milan met and married Linda Lord. For more than 36 years, they steadfastly loved and supported each other through life’s ups and downs. Milan and Linda relocated to the town of Longboat Key, Florida, in 2002, where they made many wonderful friends and got involved in the local tennis community. Milan became a skilled tennis player, continuing to play well into his seventies. His love of cooking was evident in the many dinners he and Linda hosted, sharing his culinary creations with family and friends. He cherished visits with his grandchildren, Dash and Zora, and looked forward to updates on their activities and accomplishments. Milan also delighted in sending weather updates to family in Chicago, especially when he knew they were shoveling snow.

 Milan will be remembered for his devotion to his family; razor sharp mind (and cheekbones); love of America, freedom, and opportunity; curly hair; runner’s shorty-shorts, beloved tank tops, and tiny speedos; delicious meals; affinity for jazz (especially Dave Brubeck) and a stiff drink; strong opinions; and for being the ultimate dancing machine. 

Milan was preceded in death by his parents and sister. He is survived by his wife, Linda Adrian; his daughter, Amanda Adrian; son-in-law, Anderson Gansner; grandchildren, Dashiell (16) and Zora (12); special cousin Sofia Obradovich Scalzitti and family; and kitty cat Misty.

Donations: In lieu of flowers, please donate to a veterans’ charity of your choice. 

Written by Milan’s daughter Amanda and his cousin Sofia.