Mary Magdalene Weitzel

Our beloved mother left this world on her favorite holiday of the year, Christmas. Mary Magdalene Kovach was born in Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 16, 1928, to John and Caroline (Simora) Kovach, joining her older sister, Anne. Her early years were spent growing up in Linnton, and attending St. Mary’s Cathedral Grade School in Portland. Following the death of her beloved father when she was just 10 years old, the Catholic Slovak community helped support Caroline and her parents as she raised her girls. The family eventually moved to Northeast Portland, where Mom attended Commerce High School (presently Cleveland High School). In 1946, Mom met her friend’s brother, an extremely handsome young man named Vic Weitzel. She was so smitten that she fibbed about her age. He was 11 years older than she was, so she (naturally!) added another 4 years to her age. The rest, as they say, is history. They married in 1947, and eventually bought the home in 1951 that Mom lived in until her death. The 1950’s brought the births of their four children, who all attended St. Charles Church and Grade School. Mom has been an active member of St. Charles Church for over 60 years, including many years of decorating the Church and altar with her beautiful floral arrangements, years as co-chair of St. Charles Annual Spaghetti Dinner, a member of the Altar Society, volunteered as both an Eucharistic Minister and Bereavement Minister, and was an extremely active school parent. She was also a lifelong member of the First Catholic Slovak Lodge. The house was filled with decorations for every holiday. Mom and Dad opened their home annually to wonderful parties, especially at Christmastime when Mom would decorate every room in the house with a Christmas tree. Summers were spent with annual treks to Seaside. Every year Mom would freeze corn from the 300+ corn stalks Dad planted each year, prepared and froze about 25 apple pies each year from the apples they grew (Mom did not like apple pie), canned fruit from their cherry, pear and apricot trees, and made jars and jars of raspberry jam (with paraffin lids!) from the berries we picked in the yard. Mom retired from Bonneville Power Administration in April 1983 with 32 years Federal service. Following retirement, she started her own floral business, Flowers by Mary, which brought her great happiness. Nothing, though, could compare to the happiness she experienced when her 3 granddaughters came along. She was an amazing Grandma. With grandchildren came kitchenettes, a play house, an actual train they could ride on tracks laid out around the patio, a 2-seater car they could drive around the outer perimeter of the garden, and a fridge and cupboards filled with treats the kids would never get at home, like ice cream sandwiches and Lunchables! Being left disabled from spinal surgery in 2001 prevented Mom from continuing her floral business, but this did not slow her down in any other way. She got more involved in crocheting, donating dozens and dozens of beautiful handmade blankets to local hospitals for their patients and to St. Charles for baptisms, and tending to her stunning garden. Mom’s world expanded greatly in 2004 when she was contacted by a distant relative from Slovakia, Eva Skripova. As their parents had emigrated from Slovakia in the early 1900’s, Mom and her sister, Anne, had never met a relative from either parent’s family. Eva soon joined our family for holidays and picnics, and through the wonder of computers, Mom was able to have a conversation with her father’s second cousin, Katarina Jelusova. Mom was so excited and happy to finally experience this connection to her family. One thing that really strikes us about our Mom – she has survived many health issues through the years including breast cancer, being left disabled from surgery, and being diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer on Apr. 8, 2014. Never, once, throughout the years, did any of us hear her ask, “why me?” Her concern was always for those around her. She would go out of her way to do anything she could for her family, friends, and even strangers. Mary is survived by her children – Larry (Linda), Richard, Maryann (Josh Kramer), Kathleen Thomas; her granddaughters Emily and Caroline Thomas, Danielle Kramer, and her precious great-granddaughter, Morgan. She is also survived by her dear in-laws Pat Weitzel and Jeanette and Gary Thurston, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, their families, and countless numbers of dear friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Vic, her parents John and Caroline Kovach, stepdad Andrew Ballas, her sister Anne Mitchell, and step-sister Ann Nielsen. Our hearts are broken by the loss of this beautiful woman we were privileged to call “Mom,” but we are comforted by our cherished memories. Her loss affects not only us, but countless numbers of dear friends and relatives. She was loved by so many and she brightened our world with not just that gorgeous red hair, but her infectious smile, and her kindness to those around her. We would like to extend our deep appreciation to the members of the First Catholic Slovak Lodge, St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Mom’s Federal “family,” all of Mom’s friends and neighbors, and all of the Caregivers and Kaiser Hospice who have so lovingly cared for Mom over the past 2-1/2 months. In lieu of flowers, Mom requested donations be made to St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.