Zdenko “John” Bergl, 86, of Kansas City, Missouri, passed away April 15, 2016, at his home. Funeral services were held April 18 at Louis Memorial Chapel; burial in Rose Hill Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education or Wayside Waifs.
John was born Aug. 23, 1929, in Svetivan Zabno, Croatia, to Nandor and Ilona Bergl. When he was 13 years old the Nazis moved into his hometown. His family decided to escape to Italy. A priest had helped them find a safe place to stay for a while before having to move on. John later met his wife Evelyn in an American refugee camp in Rome and after moving to the United States, they later married in 1954. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. John worked as a serviceman with heating and cooling companies in the area.
He was preceded in death by his parents and he is survived by his wife of 60 years, Evelyn Bergl, of the home.