William Lee Chovan

William Lee Chovan, age 97, of Cullowhee, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 13, 2026, at the Elizabeth House in Hendersonville.

Born on July 25, 1928, in Massillon, Ohio, he was the son of the late John Chovan and Mary Elavski Chovan. He was a 1946 graduate of Washington High School.

After high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy in 1946 and served for two years. He then attended Ohio University, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Psychology. In 1955, he married Martha Jane Vanhorn, and they moved to Cleveland, Ohio. He worked as a school psychologist for 16 years and continued his education, earning his Ph.D. in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University in 1968.

In 1969, he relocated his family to Cullowhee, NC, to begin his career at Western Carolina University. He was a professor in the Psychology Department for 35 years. Following his retirement, he dedicated his time to volunteering with hospice, counseling veterans.

He is survived by his son, Scott William Chovan, and his wife, Elizabeth Chovan; his granddaughter, Brittany Davenport, and her husband, Brent Davenport; his great-grandson, Beau Davenport; his great-granddaughters, Bella Davenport and Bailee Davenport, all of Tennessee and his beloved brother Daniel and wife, Anita of Toledo, Ohio. He is also survived by his long-time cousin and friends, Linda and Gerda Stewart.