Alice Ann Kovall passed away peacefully at Brownswick Village Assisted Living Facility in Grass Valley, California on Nov. 7, 2016. She was 99 years old.
Alice was born in Ely, Minnesota on June 4, 1917, one of seven children born to immigrant parents Steven Kovall (Austria/Hungary) and Margaret Staresinich Kovall (Slovenia). Her father Steven was in the dry goods business in Ely until his untimely death at age 42. At that time the family was dispersed to friends and relatives until her mother married John Chelesnik and the family was reunited and relocated to a farm outside of Ely. Alice attended public schools in Ely through the ninth grade until the hardship of winter travel ended her formal education.
In 1936, married and with son Tom on the way, Sue joined her husband in California where he found work in the restaurant business. During the war years Alice and her family lived in Illinois, Utah and Texas where her husband worked on military construction projects. At war’s end they resumed their life in California where daughter Bobette was born in 1945 and son Ken in 1950.
Divorced in 1960 and with two children left to raise, Alice found employment at the Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, where she rose to the position of Clinic Coordinator. Alice retired at age 67 after 25 years of service.
In addition to regular visits to Ely to visit family. Alice enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Mexico, China and many sites of Western Europe. For more than forty years she was an active member of St. Athanasius Catholic Church in Mountain View, California where she attended daily mass and enjoyed bingo and senior luncheons. With the support of family, Alice enjoyed a comfortable retirement, living independently in the same apartment amidst familiar surroundings for 30 years.
At age 96 and in need of more extensive care, Alice moved to Grass Valley to be closer to family. The family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care she received from the staff at Brunswick Village Assisted Living Facility and Hospice of the Foothills.
Alice was preceded in death by her parents and siblings: Angela Skala, Margaret Deyak, Agnes Jenko, Helen Strukel and Edward Kovall.
Alice is survived by three children: Tom Blackwood, Bobette Blackwood and Ken Kunkel; five grandchildren: Eric Shaffer, Julie Seldes, Justin Blackwood, Chris Blackwood and Melinda Kunkel; great grandchildren: Mason Seldes; Bennet, Henry and Dylan Blackwood, and Ethan Shaffer; brother Robert Kovall; nieces Virgie Ivancich, Marion Kangus, Darlene Brazee and Sandy Egge; nephews: Gary Kovall, Robert Kovall Jr. and Jerry Jenko; grand nephews Frank and Paul Ivancich.
A memorial mass will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church on Friday August 4, 2017 11:00 a.m. followed by graveside services at the Ely Cemetery. Upon conclusion of services lunch will be served at the Grand Ely Lodge. Please join us.