Nevenka Minceff

Nevenka Minceff, 88, was born on November 25, 1928 in Rila, Bulgaria, passed away on December 17, 2016. She resided in Escondido, California, at the time of her passing. Arrangements are under the direction of Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California.
Nevenka Minceff is survived by daughters Dora Nareshni and Elisabete Erlandson; by sons-in-law Tony Nareshni and Ed Erlandson; by grandsons Nick Nareshni and Michael Erlandson; by granddaughter-in-law Lisa Erlandson and by two great-grandchildren: Nathan (10) and Charlotte Erlandson(6).
In her own words, she was happy to the end, saying she is happy about her long and interesting life and that she had no regrets.
As a young adult, she moved from Rila, Bulgaria to attend the Vienna University, their medical school in Austria, where she studied. At that time, she did not know that she would not be returning to live in her motherland, but the events of the war took over and permanently changed lives and dispersed families. She would not see her family, her parents, her beloved late brother Victor Gadjanoff, for decades to come. She was married to her lifelong companion, Ivan Minceff, in Gratz, Austria. They moved from there to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where their daughters were born. After 18 years in Brazil, they moved to America with their young daughters. Each move was a new start over again. Their strength and work ethic was commendable.
Settling in Los Angeles, in December of 1964, Nevenka embraced the US as her new and final home. She perfected her english skills, which shifted from British english to American english in no time at all. She went to work to have supplemental income for her two daughters to be able to attend the best schools possible. Education was of prime importance. She worked as a medical field auditor, most of her working years were with Blue Cross. She was well liked by her co-workers and developed life long friendships with them. She loved people in general and diversity only meant that her life would be more interesting and diversified.
Nevenka was also involved for many years with the Bulgarian Club of Los Angeles, keeping her origin close to her heart. She served there in various capacities, as a volunteer, and taught her two daughters about their heritage.
Her interests were first her family and then all the people she had as friends. People were of crucial importance to her. She had friendships that lasted from her late teens to the end of their existence, they had shared as only their generation knew how to share to survive together through great trials. They survived and were happy to have the tight knit friendships. She was very active all the time, some examples are: she loved sports in general, she played in two bowling leagues, loved skiing until she was 70, read avidly novels and non-fiction, created weekly card playing gatherings where she taught all her new friends the Brazilian game of buraco (the old friends already knew it), she danced with zest, played tennis, badminton, etc. She loved to entertain and she was also a fabulous cook. She did it all with joy.
Nevenka was well versed in many languages. She spoke Bulgarian, German, Portuguese, Russian, English and French. Thanks to her outgoing happy spirit, her husband and her daughters shared a home with her that was called: "The United Nations". Sometimes the dinner parties had at least 4 languages going at once.
Her bright blue eyes naturally shone with friendliness, her smile was radiant, she created happiness in the lives of those she touched. She knew she was blessed with a great life, great family and great friends.