Miluse (Koenig) Mina (2-13-1928–8-6-2025), dame of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, was born in the city of Brno, Czechia into a family of Czech-Austrian gentry. Miluse's father was an officer in the Austrian Imperial Army and after the Great War a high-ranking government official and decorated hero of the Czech anti-Nazi resistance. Upon graduating from high school in 1946, Miluse enrolled at Charles University in Prague. The country was in turmoil as the communists were undermining the coalition government. Miluse attracted the attention of the secret police by stumping communist speakers at political meetings with her incisive arguments. Miluse was forced to flee her country after the February 1948 communist takeover. She arrived in Paris, where she soon met her future husband Albert Mina (Minya), a Ruthenian graduate student in botany and a fellow exile. The couple were married the following year, and in 1950 Miluse gave birth to a son John (Ivan). After moving from France to the United States, Miluse gave birth to three more children: Peter (1955), Michael (1957) and Maria Paula (1960).

Settling in California in 1959, the family joined St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Van Nuys.  Learning of her artistic talent, the pastor asked Miluse to paint the icons for his church.  Miluse went on to adorn with icons over fifty churches in the United States and Europe.  Since 1988, Mila and her husband lived in San Diego.  Albert passed away in 2009.  Mila is survived by her children John (Father Ivan), Peter, Michael (Diana), Maria Paula, and a grandson Nicholas.  Interment will be at Mount St. Macrina Byzantine Catholic cemetery In Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

Service information in Pennsylvania can be found on Bekavac Funeral Home's website.

https://www.bekavacfuneralhome.com/obituary/Miluse-Mina