ADVERTISING

Donald Kovach

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | January 24, 2017

Donald Kovach, age 84 of Port Vue, passed away on Saturday, January 21, 2017 at Kane Regional Center in McKeesport. Born to Ilona and Paul Kovach in McKeesport where the Youghiogheny meets the Monongahela, Donald was in his later childhood raised by his grandparents in No. 9, an unincorporated coal mining town near Farmington, W.Va. Growing up near the small town of Farmington, near Fairmont, he would meet his future wife, Helen Jean "Bookie" Pasko, in high school. Shortly after graduating in 1950 and returning to McKeesport, his father Paul "exaggerated" his son's age so that Donald could gain employment at National Tube Works.

In January 1953, Donald was drafted to serve stateside during the Korean War in the 702nd Armed Infantry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. Prior to his station there, he attended the U.S. Army's Armored School in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where one of his first assignments was to dissemble and reassemble a Jeep with no assistance. His work in the Army motor pool on vehicles and tanks fed a life-long interest in cars, car repair, and the proper method to wash a car, which would later impact the lives of his two sons, who would often "help" in repairing the family vehicles in the driveway of their Port Vue home. (Donald, being an Army perfectionist, almost always would complete the repairs himself, although his sons could still change a tire in under two minutes.)

Donald and Helen were married at St. Peter's Church, Farmington, W.Va. in 1956 and would later live in the same apartment building as Donald's parents on Fifth Avenue in McKeesport. A decade later with the help of the G.I. Bill, they would purchase their first and only house in Port Vue, a home that still resonates throughout every room, every kitchen cabinet and every shingle (as well as every screw - never a nail - in each wall) with Donald's penchant for do-in-yourself home improvement. After several years they would conceive their first son, Paul Anthony, and in succession a daughter, Dawn Michelle, and son, Jon Allen. Donald's children would grow up on the top of that hill in Port Vue, knowing that the National Works whistle echoing through the valley at 3pm meant their father's daylight shift had ended and he would soon be home for dinner, transport to gymnastics lessons or duckpin bowling, or a summer evening playing in the yard. Donald's strenuous work in the mill and Helen's support baking at home enabled the couple to enroll their children in various Catholic schools in Port Vue, Glassport and McKeesport, and to see all three graduate from Serra Catholic High School.

After being laid off from National Works during its closure in 1987, Donald took several part-time jobs to support his family. Although his pride was bruised, he maintained his vow to himself that his children should enjoy greater success than he and never have to labor in a steel mill. Paul was already attending Penn State University (McKeesport and University Park), and Dawn would enroll in California University of Pennsylvania. When Camp-Hill Corporation reopened the National Works plant, they would later re-hire Donald because of his many years of experience laying pipe in the barges. Donald promised himself that he would remain working there until his son Jon graduated from Texas A&M at Galveston in 1994.

Donald would spend his Mondays during retirement volunteering at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in McKeesport, and continuing to "putz" (as he would say) around the house while offering neighbors to help with anything from a broken furnace to a snow-covered sidewalk. A few years later, the birth of his grandsons, Quinten and Ethan, kindled a new spark in his eye as he embraced his role as "Pap." He and "Grandma" now would spend days each week babysitting, helping to mind the boys' childhood ills, taking them on secret trips to Kennywood or the movies, and going on many, many shopping trips in between. His pride in watching his grandsons grow hinted at the joy he experienced raising his own children, and his infectious smile would widen with the success of his grandsons and the futures he saw in them.

And each year every member of the family, without fail on their birthday, would be greeted over the phone with Donald singing the Happy Birthday song, always ending with "...and many more."

What began in 2014 as difficulty remembering words or finding the right phrase to say would later develop into dementia. Although the dementia would diminish his mind, his smile and his love for family would still find its way to the surface. After suffering an injury at home in September 2016, an evaluation at McKeesport Hospital also revealed a heart attack and pneumonia. To the surprise of his doctors he recovered (his seventh life by his family's count) and was transferred to the exemplary care of the nursing staff at Kane Regional Center, Section 4B in McKeesport where his dementia could be more closely monitored. The staff often referred to him as their "best bud," and sometimes he would be caught singing to them, an echo of his many years with the St. John's church choir. Flashes of Donald would sometimes appear, whether during a visit or while watching a football game, but ultimately his body grew tired and finally let his unquiet mind rest the night of January 21, 2017.

Donald felt pride in many things - his cars, his handiwork, and his Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates, which he would often watch with friends at Forbes Field after taking a trolley ride from McKeesport, followed by a stop at Kennywood on the way home. But his overwhelming joy and love were always his family and most especially his beloved "Hun" with whom he spent 60 years, an anniversary celebrated quietly on September 29, 2016. Like any other marriage, not every day was perfect, nor was it an easy journey together through life. But even at what would be Donald's and Helen's last visit together when he was awake, before sleep would overwhelm his days and nights, he still reached for a kiss goodbye until they would see each other next time.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Paul Kovach of Shadyside, Dawn Harkness of Pittsburgh and Jon (Terresa Halstead) Kovach of Las Angeles, CA; grandsons, Quinten and Ethan Harkness; son-in-law, Alistair Harkness; and cousins, Jimmy and Karen Marchiny. He was also preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Suzanne Marchiny. Family and friends will be received at Willig Funeral Home & Crematory on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Funeral Service will be Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in McKeesport. Pastor Warren L. Smith will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow at St. Mary Polish Cemetery in White Oak. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested to The Kane Foundation, 955 Rivermont Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15207, to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 329 Ninth Street, McKeesport, PA 15132, or to the Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901. Condolences may be shared at www.willigfuneralcremationservices.com

(For a glimpse into Donald's life in National Works, please read this moving feature by Jason Togyer, Executive Director of Tube City Online and formerly of the McKeesport Daily News: http://www.tubecityonline.com/steel/nat_close_4.html)

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Donald Kovach, please visit our Tribute Store.

Originally published January 24, 2017.

Other deaths:
"June Goss Richardson" || "James Barry “Butch” D…"