Beverly Lovasz

LOVASZ, Beverly Elizabeth Sammis, 61, of Midlothian, Virginia passed away peacefully, Wednesday evening in her home in the presence of her loving husband and three children after a two and a half year battle with cancer. Born on May 30, 1950 in Newark, New Jersey to Emily and George Sammis, Bev demonstrated a sincere interest in others and a passion for life from the start. Upon completing high school in New Jersey, Bev moved to Pennsylvania, where she thrived at Waynesburg College, and where she met and fell in love with Joseph Lovasz, of Fords, New Jersey. Following their graduation, Bev and Joe married on September 30, 1972 and settled in Belleville, New Jersey. After transfers first to Charlotte, North Carolina and then to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and after taking time off to raise her three children, the first of whom arrived in 1974, Bev embraced what would be her life's work by becoming a Spanish teacher at Bishop Sullivan High School in Baton Rouge, where she worked for four years. Shortly after another transfer to Midlothian, Virginia in 1989, Bev began to teach Spanish at Midlothian Middle School. Combining her love of children with her talent for language, Bev quickly earned the respect of countless students, parents, colleagues and community members over the course of her career as an educator. She worked tirelessly to ensure that her students reached their potential, bringing her work home with her regularly. She touched the lives of countless teenagers during her 18 years at Midlothian Middle. She shared her love of learning with her three children and instilled in them her determination and strong moral fiber. Bev is survived by her loving husband, Joseph, of Midlothian, Virginia; her three children: son, Joseph and daughter-in-law, Cherie Lovasz; daughter, Michelle and son-in-law, Jonathan Hoganson; and daughter, Sharon and son-in-law, Kurt Vernon; her eight beloved grandchildren, Carter and Nathan Lovasz, Dylan, Taylor and Ayden Hoganson, and Anne, Allison and Joseph Vernon. She is also survived by her parents, Emily and George Sammis, her sister, Dorothy and brother-in-law, George Tiedeman; and her sister-in-law, Barbara; and brother-in-law, Robert Allan. Visitation will be held on Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m., at the Chesterfield Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 14301 Ashbrook Parkway. For more information, call 804-639-4975. Services to celebrate the beautiful person Bev was will be held on Monday, October 3,

10 a.m., at Woodlake United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bev's memory to the American Cancer Society,4240 Park Place Ct. Richmond, Va. 23060.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.