Anna Lovas

Anna Lovas, age 102, passed away peacefully on August 19, 2025 at Cates Hospice House in Ocala, Florida with her son by her side. Anna was from Garfield, NJ, one of five children born to Vasil Berezny and Mary Pavlik from Czechoslovakia. She overcame a lot of tragedy in her life. Her father died when she was an infant. Her older brothers had to leave school to support the family along with her mother. Shortly after Anna's sweet sixteen celebration, her mother also died. Despite these hardships, Anna recalled a very loving home where they never knew they were poor. She graduated from Garfield High School, the first of her family to do so. She loved sports and, to her final days, celebrated the Garfield Boilermakers big football victory over the Miami Stingarees in 1939. Anna married Emil Lovas, the boy down the street, shortly before he was shipped overseas to fight in WW2 as a Chief Pharmacists Mate for the Navy. Anna helped with the war effort at home as an air raid warden, although she was not sure how much protection she could offer armed only with a whistle and flashlight. After the war, like so many returning soldiers and their wives, they started a family. Anna and Emil brought up their boys in Paramus, NJ, where they lived for over 60 years surrounded by wonderful neighbors. Anna always had to be busy. She worked at Uniroyal in Garfield, NJ where she was called upon to help revive victims of the Passaic River bus accident in 1941. After she had children, she worked at the Western Electric factory in Fairlawn, NJ. Her favorite job was at the Bergen Pines Hospital, where she worked for over 20 years and initiated the Medicare billing procedures after Medicare benefits became available in 1965. Anna retired in the late 1980's. She and Emil embraced retirement and enjoyed trips to Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Hawaii and Italy. They volunteered their time at the Paramus VFW and Our Lady of Visitation Catholic Church in Paramus. Anna and Emil relocated to Florida in 2011 to live on their son Clifford's horse farm in rural Dade City. A city girl at heart, Anna surprisingly was able to navigate dirt roads bordered by cow pastures until she gave up her driver's license in her 90's. In 2019, she joined her son and daughter-in-law in a move to the Stone Creek golf community in Ocala, trading in her view of horses for a view of golfers. Although not an equestrian or golfer herself, she was able to offer much advice on both disciplines. That was in addition to coaching the Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning games in the evening followed by a morning critique of the players' abilities (or lack thereof). Anna is survived by son Clifford Lovas and daughter-in-law Sheila Loughlin and devoted granddogs Penny and Roscoe of Ocala, Florida. She also is survived by son Jeffrey Lovas of New Jersey and Texas and beloved granddaughters Donna Wagner of Apopka, FL, Karen Lafragola of Matthews, NC and Pamela Lovas of Titusville, FL, and cherished great grandson John Wagner of Apopka, FL. She also is survived by her daughter-in-law Cindy Morrica (Steve Moricca) of Deland, FL and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her devoted husband of 70+ years, Emil Lovas, and all her siblings, Michael Berezny, William Berezny, Peter Berezny and Mary Gagliano. A graveside service will be held at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL on Tuesday, August 26 th 2025 at 11:30 am followed by a luncheon. Memorial donations may be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to benefit veterans at https://t2t.org. Many thanks to all of Anna's family and friends who called and visited over the years and gave her so much joy and love. A special thanks to Linda Lovas Hoeschler, who travelled from Minnesota to Florida almost annually to see Aunt Ann and discuss genealogy. Rest in peace Anna Lovas. You were everyone's first birthday card…and there always was a little something tucked in that card.