Immigrating from Privlaka, Croatiain 1907 at the age of twenty-four, John Zorich came to America, arriving at New Orleans aboard the “Martha Washington”. Like many Croatian immigrants, he left his home to come to Biloxi, another coastal town known for its seafood harvesting with two objectives in mind – join his family and make a better life in the booming seafood industry enjoyed by the Gulf Coast. John knew that there were going to be hardships in life, but he was determined to make his a success.
He married Alena Kuluz, daughter of the Kuluz Brother Seafood factory and went to work aboard their boats including the “New Design”, “Eva Marie, and “Gulf Light”. It was aboard the “Gulf Light” that he met with one of the inevitable hardships when a bad weather incident caused the boat to sink with his stepsons Mateo and Grego Taliancich aboard as well. Fortunately, all survived this incident.
Later he would suffer a back injury which prevented him from working the boats, but determined to provide for his family, he served as night watchman for Kuluz Brothers. Whenever his health would allow, he would help load wood into the steam box furnaces used to help ease the oyster shucking process and serve his fellow man in any way he could.
Of devout faith, he seldom missed Mass at St. Michael Catholic Church, The Fisherman’s Church, which was located across the street from Kuluz Brothers factory. He was on of the first members of the Slavic Benevolent Association and a member of the Seafood Worker’s Union Association.
John Steve Zorich passed away in 1960 at the age of 76 after more than 50 years of service to the maritime and seafood industries.
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