In the large Tuzla Zamboni family, there are people who are invisible, but without whom the Italian community would have difficulty functioning. Some people are constantly present among us, and they make their own contribution to making things better for all of us, to preserving the values that the ancestors of Italian immigrants to Tuzla brought to Kreka and Tuzla, and later to Živinice, Maglaj, Boljanić, Novi Sad, Zagreb, Kosijerić and many other cities. Vlado Zamboni is one of the people who gave value to our lives and the preservation of the Zamboni surname. He died on 8.8.2025. in his home in Solana pod Drežnikom, and was buried on 11.8.2025. at the Trnovac city cemetery.
Vlado Zamboni, born on April 15, 1940. in Tuzla, he is the eighth descendant of Josip and Ida Zamboni. His grandparents Amadeo Zamboni and Fiorenca Donna had a total of six children, of which the first child, Angelo, died shortly after birth. The other five descendants are Josip Zamboni, Rudolf Zamboni, Ferdinand Zamboni, Ana Zamboni, married Josić and Albina Zamboni, married Jurišević. All the children were born in Nemila and Vranduk - along the Doboj - Zenica railway, because Amadeo worked on the construction of the railway and the Vranduk tunnel. Vladi's father, Josip Zamboni, known as Pepo, is the oldest descendant of Amadeo and Fiorenza. He was born on October 24, 1901. in Nemiloj, and died during the Second World War on November 30, 1943. year. He was married to Ida Glavaš. Ida Rozalija Zamboni was born in Glavaš on September 2, 1902. year. Josip Zamboni and Ida were married in 1920, and they had nine descendants – Nikola Nikica, Marija Mica, Ivica, Ferdinand Ferdo, Štefanija, Vinko, Anton Tono, Vlado and Hilda. All of Vlado Zamboni's siblings had died earlier, so Vlado was the last descendant of Ida and Josip Zamboni. He married Anđa Tešić on 21.9.1963 in Tuzla, with whom he spent his entire life. The marriage produced sons Siniša and Josip – Beli. He worked at Tuzla's "Umel" – he was a top craftsman, known for his wit and good humor. His story is remembered, in which he described how the people of Tuzla wondered who the Italians from Tuzla were rooting for when they shouted "Trieste is ours, Trieste is ours!" at the protests in 1953-1954 in the city square. Vlado has been a supporter of the idea of forming an association of Italians since its inception, and his name is on the list of founders of the association of Italians in 1993. Since that time, he has been constantly present in the work of the association, within the limits of his capabilities.
Vlado was especially attached to his brother Tona, and at every meeting of Italians they were together. They spoke their language of top masters of jokes and tricks, jokes and adventures. Lifelong friend Zlatko - Grga remained with Vlado until the last day, and remains after the last day. His granddaughter Bernanda was constantly with Vlado, and was a special pride of Vlado. With the death of Vlado Zamboni, a generation of Tuzla Italians who were united around the idea of preserving tradition through activities in the association disappears. New generations are present, by birth, in the community of Tuzla Italians, but it is noticeable that the ties with ancestors and Italy are becoming weaker, the interest of the younger generations is far below the interest that Vlado's generation had.