On May 25, 2020, Kathryn passed away peacefully in her sleep after a brief illness. Kathryn was born April 13, 1926, in Vanderbilt, PA. She was the 11th of 13 children born to Michael and Mary Kovach. She grew up in the Vanderbilt / Leisenring, PA area and graduated from Dunbar High School. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Erie, PA to work and assist in the war effort. Kathryn completed the requirements for PA State licensing in cosmetology. She was always joyful when she talked of her time in Erie. After the war ended, she married her high school sweetheart, James Clark Prichard, in 1946, and the two relocated back to Erie.
In 1948, Kathryn and Jim left Erie and returned to Connellsville, PA. After the birth of their first child, Jim and Kathryn sought employment opportunities and moved to Detroit, MI in April 1950. Kathryn and Jim remained in Michigan for the rest of their lives. Kathryn devoted her life to her husband and their 5 children. Kathryn lost her beloved husband of 43 years in 1989. She continued to work part time at Kmart until the age of 70. After retirement, she loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, traveling back to PA, and working in her yard.
Kathryn is survived by her 5 children: Karen Knowles, James Clark Prichard II (Cathy), Linda S. Zielke (James), Mark Prichard (Gerianne), and Nancy Renner (Michael). She will be remembered with love by her ten grandchildren: James Clark Prichard, III (Anya), Jessica Yeakel (Daniel), Jeffrey Prichard, Justin Zielke (Aaron Schmidt), John Matthew Knowles (Jennifer), James Mark Knowles, Lisa Morrison (Mark), Christopher Prichard, Kaitlin Renner, and Taylor Renner. Kathryn has 5 great-grandchildren who were her joy: Catalina Prichard, James Yeakel, Kathryn Yeakel, Byron Knowles, and Rosemary Knowles.
Kathryn is predeceased by all of her siblings: her sisters Ann and Helen Kovach, Mary Shaw, Bertha Davin, Julia Saksa, Irene Martray, Betty Tubridy; and her brothers Mike, Jim and George (also infants John and Margaret).
Kathryn will be remembered, and her life will be celebrated on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Hope Church at Little Mack and Martin Roads, St. Clair Shores, MI. Please do not approach the doors of the church before 9:50 am. Our Lady of Hope is properly set up for social distancing.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Meals on Wheels Program.
For Meals on Wheels Donations: Our Mother made use of this program for the last 1.5 years. It is a blessing to Seniors. If you'd like to donate to Kathryn's local Meals on Wheels Program,
Please go to mca.macombgov.org, scroll down and click on "Meals on Wheels", and on the right side of the screen click on "Make a Contribution, Donate Now". You can complete the information at that point. Thank you for any and all donations.
