Vesna Draxler

Vesna Draxler, 93, died peacefully in Assisted Living at Grace Ridge on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. Her husband of fifty-two years, Bruno Draxler, died in 1991.She was born in Zagreb, Croatia to Victor Ruzic, a prominent lawyer and Governor of Croatia before World War II, and Nada Brlic, the daughter of writer Ivana Brlic-Mazuranic whose books of children’s stories were translated into more than thirty languages in the 1930s. Her grandfather was the historic Croatian linguist, writer and politician, Ivan Mazuranic. Vesna’s childhood home in Rijeka, Croatia is now a museum and arts center.Vesna and her husband Bruno, with daughter Alexa, escaped war-torn Europe and came to the United States as refugees in 1949, and then to Morganton in 1952. They became U.S. citizens in the 1950’s and were deeply grateful for the acceptance and community they found in Morganton. Vesna worked at Shadowline in the 1950’s, then for some years as office manager of Billy Joe Patton’s lumber brokerage. She was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church and participated in or led many community activities, notably those dealing with arts and crafts. She was a master of numerous crafts that she taught, formally and informally, including sewing, knitting, crochet, needlework, and weaving. She was a master weaver, designing and producing a wide range of clothing and other articles that she exhibited for over 30 years at crafts fairs around North Carolina until failing eyesight compelled her to retire her beloved loom. She was a founding member of the South Mountain Fiber Guild, past President of the Burke Arts Council, and a member of Hendersonville Handweaver’s Guild. For a time she taught weaving at Western Piedmont Community College.She is survived by her daughters Alexandra Draxler-Morsy of Paris, France and Carola Draxler of Santa Cruz, CA; her grandchildren Leïla Morsy Eckert of Sydney, Australia, Salim Morsy of Sao Paulo, Brazil and Seymour Morsy of Paris, France; her great-grandchildren, Milena Morsy and Alexandre Morsy Eckert; a brother and sister in Switzerland, and two sisters in Croatia.The family will receive friends Monday, October 1 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the Table Rock Lounge at Grace Ridge Retirement Community on Lenoir Rd. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at Grace Episcopal Church in Morganton.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Grace Episcopal Church, 303 S. King St, Morganton, NC 28655.Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.