A. John Kovac
July 28, 1913-July 20, 1980
Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 22, 1980, page 2, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library
Kovac, ex-schools director, dies
A. John Kovac, 66, retired director of community education for Niles Community Schools, died at 8:20 p.m. Sunday in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, after a brief illness.
He retired in 1977 following a 35-year career in the Niles district. He began his career in Niles in 1939 as a machine shop teacher and, in 1940, started teaching in night war training classes in Niles.
In 1945, he returned to Niles after a three-year tour with the U.S. Navy, and ran a veterans institute for returning vets until 1948.
In 1947, he started the cooperative training program at Niles High School, which he operated for 20 years. It was started on a part-time basis and, in 1967, he became community schools and adult education director on a full-time basis.
In 1978, he was awarded the Berrien-Cass County Adult Educator of the Year at special ceremonies in Berrien Springs.
Mr. Kovac was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Niles City Club and a veteran of the World War II with the U.S. Navy.
He was born July 28, 1913 in Iron River and had lived in this area since 1939.
On July 2, 1942, he married Mary Jane Beukema in Grand Haven.
She survives along with one son, Keith J. of Niles; one daughter, Miss Beverly J. Kovac of Nles; five brothers, Joseph, Peter and Martin, all of Caspian, Mich., Louis of Denver and Rudy of Los Angeles and one sister, Mrs Cecelia Atanasoff of Iorn River.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. William J. Fuerstenau of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends may call between 2 and 4 and 7 and 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Memorials may be given to the Michigan Heart Association.