Terezija Mavsar (also Mauser) was born on October 2, 1907 in the village of Šentjošt to Janez Mavsar and Ana Kozoglav.

Like all of her siblings, Terezija went to school in the town of Stopiče from November 3, 1914 until April 28, 1921. Click here to see a copy of her diploma.

On May 13, 1928 she married Anton Hočevar at the age of 20. Anton was 25.

Anton was born on May 23, 1903 in Brezovica pri Stopičah - a settlement in the Novo Mesto municipality in southeastern Slovenia. After the wedding Anton and Terezija settled in Šentjošt, and lived in her ancestral house #19.

Anton was a carpenter working away from the house for up to a week at a time. When he returned home he always had food and other things for his wife and children, leaving again the following week.

Anton and Terezija lived in harmony. According to their children, they never argued. Anton never punished or disciplined the children; however, Terezija was not as lenient.

Terezija and Anton had eight children:

1. Marija Hočevar *Furar* (September 3, 1929)
2. Štefka Hočevar *Pengal* (October 10, 1930 - February 6, 1991)
3. Jožica Hočevar *Šavrič* (March 4, 1932)
4. Anton (Tone) Hočevar (January 21, 1934 - March 6, 2004)
5. Ivan/Janez (John) Hočevar (June 20, 1935)
6. Anica (Ana) Hočevar (1937-1943)
7. Jože Hočevar (May 14, 1941)
8. Ivana (Ivica) Hočevar *Potisek* (May 18, 1945)

Years later her son, John, described his mother as a beautiful woman and a loving mother, with nice white teeth, kind and nice to people. John remembers her having a beautiful voice. She sang in a local church choir in Stopiče for 26 years and taught John to sing. Click here to hear a recent CD (Zbor "Bled", Canada) with John’s voice. Every Sunday the entire family attended church in Stopiče.

Terezija died tragically on April 3, 1950 at the age of 42. She was killed by a bus. John went with his mom to Novo Mesto to do some shopping. She was walking with John, and he was walking several feet ahead of her. It was snowing and raining. A bus, driving nearby, turned and slid, pushing Terezija into the side of the bridge crushing her. This happened in front of John.

Terezija was taken to a hospital and John sat beside her. She patted John's face and repeated: "My Ivan, I am going to die. What are you kids going to do without me?" She was taken to an operating room and died the same day during the surgery. At that moment she was pregnant with her ninth child. Terezija's body was brought home and she was buried in Šentjošt.

Terezija's husband, Anton, was devastated by the death of his wife. He was left with eight children, poor, with little food and no medicine. He was depressed not getting out of bed for days. He developed pneumonia and passed away. It is believed he died of a broken heart. Prior to his death a local priest visited Anton's children and asked all of them to remain home because their father would not survive until evening. Anton died on March 1, 1951 at the age of 47- eleven months after his beloved wife.

Terezija's older sister, Karolina Mavsar (Lampič), decided that since the government bus was responsible for her sister's death, the poor children were entitled to some compensation. After overcoming some bureaucracy, Karolina was able to obtain a modest government compensation for her nephews and nieces. The government paid a small amount of money to the family, enough to buy some shoes and little things for her children.

Anton and Terezija’s children were left orphaned and were raised by their oldest sister, Marija Hočevar (Furar), born on September 3, 1929. In May of 1950, five-year-old Ivica moved to Ljublana, to be raised by her aunt Karolina Mavsar (Lampič). Ivica lived with Karolina and her family until she married Marjan Potisek on February 2, 1965.

Click here to see images of Terezija Mavsar and Anton Hočevar.