Joan M. Kovach

Joan Kovach was a woman with an amazing heart. The type of person that would do anything for her family and friends, she made her family her life’s work. It was evident by the life she lived that she fully embraced that being a mother is truly a matter of the heart. Becoming a grandmother was simply the icing on the cake and one of life’s greatest gifts. Joan purposely looked for ways to give to others, always thinking of their needs before her own. She had a full, caring heart, and everyone who spent time with her felt the warmth of her presence.

1946 was a time of recuperation and reflection. With the end of World War II just a year before, the people of the world were still only beginning to heal the wounds inflicted upon their farms and cities. Harry S. Truman was the President of the United States, and the United Nation’s held its first General Assembly to dissolve the League of Nations. For the household of Joseph and Marie (Schwartz) Woodruff of Kalamazoo, Michigan, the 30th of November, 1946 was a time of great joy. It was on this day that their daughter, Joan Marie, was born. Joan was later joined by her younger sister, Carol, and they enjoyed a typical childhood of the time, growing up in the quiet community of Comstock. They attended the Comstock Public Schools, and after Joan graduated from Comstock High in 1964, she went on to attend Parsons Business School.

Joan was 20 when she married her first husband, Donald Warner, Jr., on March 11, 1967. They spent the next 15 years together, raising their four children: Dionne, Donald III, Veronica and Matthew, and sharing many wonderful memories as a family. Besides being a devoted wife and mother, Joan worked along side her husband in the family tool and die business, Nu- Life Tooling. She also worked for about 5 years at the paper mill in Paw Paw. Joan lost her husband Don in 1982.

Joan found true love when her friends, Pat and Art, introduced her to Andrew Kovach. Their friendship quickly blossomed into romance and they shared life together for many years, along with their daughter, Andrea. Then, on February 5, 2000, Joan and Andy made their union official and tied the knot. It was easy to see that Joan considered it pure joy to care for her husband, children and eventually grandchildren. She was active in their lives, and she also created a home that was a place where love was plentiful. Joan loved to entertain and was a wonderful hostess for all the Christmas gatherings, weekend card parties and countless baby showers she put together for family and friends. Her outgoing nature and giving heart won her many friends, and everyone was treated like family. Even her neighbors were all good friends – this was something Joan loved about her neighborhood.

Family was truly the greatest source of happiness in Joan’s life. She loved spending her time caring for her family, doting on her husband Andy, and spoiling her grandchildren: Grant, Joshua, CJ, Cory, TJ and Austin. Joan was always available to watch her grandkids, and she treasured every moment with them. When it came to her leisure time, Joan had several hobbies and interests to keep her busy. She loved nature and flowers, and enjoyed watching the birds at her birdhouses. A collector, Joan had many porcelain dolls, and angels, many of which she got from shopping QVC, which she loved. Her family joked that QVC’s stock dropped when they learned of Joan’s death. In her quieter moments, Joan loved to read magazines, newspapers and do crossword puzzles, and listen to music – Adele was her recent favorite. Joan was very old school when it came to courtesy as she would hand write all “thank you” notes even to her own children. Aside from her family, Joan loved to cuddle with her kitties – Whiskey, who died seven years ago, and Murphy, her big Maine Coon.

About a month ago, Joan’s life took a drastic turn when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. On Monday, June 18, 2012, Joan passed away at Bronson Methodist Hospital at the age of 65. Her husband, children, grandchildren, friends and family will remember her as a woman who touched their lives; a woman who will be part of their memories forever.

A memorial service will be held at Joan & Andrew’s home on Sunday, July 1st, at 6:00 p.m. with a time of gathering to follow until 9:00 p.m. Joan was preceded in death by her first husband, Donald Warner, Jr., her father, Joseph Woodruff, and her mother and step-father, Marie & Charles Lindberg. She is survived by her husband, Andrew Kovach; her children: Dionne (Paul) Rigozzi, Donald Warner III, Veronica (Andrew) Pearson, Matthew Warner, Andrea Warner, Andrew Kovach and Derrick Kovach; her grandchildren: Grant & Joshua Pearson, C.J. Kovach, Cory Martin, TJ Warner and Austin Cowgill, who was like a grandson; her sister, Carol (Ken) O’Briot; her cat “Murphy”; as well as many other relatives and friends. Please visit Joan’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where may share a memory, upload a photo and sign her online guest book. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. Arrangements by Life Story Funeral Home, Vicksburg; 409 S. Main Street, (649-1697).