Karoly Kovacs

Karoly Kovacs, 92, of Ottawa, passed away on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at Pleasant View. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Mueller funeral Home in Ottawa.
Karoly was born on June 7, 1930 in Markotabödöge, Hungary to Karoly and Erzsébet (Boda) Kovacs. He married Anna Szechényi on September 17, 1963 in Apatin, Yugoslavia. At a young age Karoly worked as a mechanic in Hungary and learned his trade while on the job. He arrived in America in 1956 on the USNS Marine Carp following the Hungarian Revolution. He became a US citizen on August 28, 1962. He settled down with his family in the Chicagoland area.
He loved taking pictures and filming home movies. He loved cooking, especially wiener schnitzel and drinking German beer. He loved cracking and eating his favorite mixed nuts. He loved watching horseracing on TV and going to the Arlington and Hawthorne Racecourse. He enjoyed daily reading of his favorite newspaper the Chicago Sun-Times. He loved bowling and playing poker.
He enjoyed taking his children to the local parks, playgrounds, the zoos, museums, Shedd Aquarium, Drive-In Movie Theatre, North Avenue Beach, Kiddieland and Old Chicago shopping mall and indoor amusement park. On Sundays, he enjoyed watching TV programs "Wild Kingdom and Family Classics" with his family.
He enjoyed treating his grandchildren to ice cream and going to the playground, joyfully pushing them on the swings.
He will be remembered by his family as a hard-working union man, a member of the Suburban Teamsters of Northern Illinois union, and beloved Granpa Karl to his 4 grand kids. They were his absolute joy!
He is survived by four children, Agnes (Matt) Swan of Amboy, Emmy "Amy" Howe of Largo, FL, Esther Kovacs of Aurora and Ernest (Vicky) Kovacs of Serena; four grandchildren, Alexis and Kevin Ware and Harley and Lance Kovacs; and two sisters, Gizi Lajvort and Rozsi Légrádi.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, János, Lajos, József, and Béla; and three sisters, Terez, Anna, and Erzsébet (Karoly's fraternal twin).
Memorials may be directed to the family.
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