Susanne M. Kovach

Susanne Marie Kovach (nee Kinney), age 93, passed away on May 3 ^rd , 2022.  Thereupon she reunited with Joseph, her beloved husband of 53 years; Joe passed away in January of 2006.  Susanne was a loving and devoted mother of David (Cheryl), James (Nora) and Carolyn Jarecki (David); dearest grandmother of 11; great-grandmother of three; sister of the late Alfred Kinney; and dear aunt of many.

Susanne was born January 11 ^th , 1929 in Bloomington, IN, where her mother Helen Land lived nearby on the Land family farm.  Helen met and married Alfred Kinney and moved with him to pursue his career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, while Helen often worked as a nurses’ assistant.  Susanne had many extraordinary memories and stories of her youth in Ohio and Pennsylvania, living in Ohio River communities where Alfred worked as an engineer.  Among her favorites was Johnstown, PA, where she, her brother Alfred and friends spent countless hours exploring the local forests and countryside.

Susanne attended the prestigious St. John’s School of Nursing in Pittsburgh, PA, which is now incorporated into the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.  Upon graduation in 1951, she began her nursing career at Trumbell Memorial Hospital in Warren, OH; there, she worked in both the Operating Room and Emergency Room. She met Joe Kovach, a WWII Navy veteran then working as a high school teacher in Windham, OH, and they wed in 1952.  Two years later, they moved to Parma, OH, settling on Parma Park Blvd, and later relocating to their ‘Forever Home’ on Nelwood Rd, Parma Heights.

Susanne continued nursing for 10 years, for the most part at Crile Veterans’ Hospital (now the Cuyahoga Community College campus).  She focused on surgical nursing, post-operative care and contributed to the development of many new medical procedures and treatments. In the 1960s, she left nursing for a time to care for her young, growing family, returning in the early 1970s to join the nursing staff at Greenbrier Health Center.

Soon thereafter, Susanne found her ‘true calling,’ becoming a nurse-teacher at the Parma School of Practical Nursing, and later, the Polaris Career Center.  She taught for more than 20 years at Polaris, where she focused on providing pre-nursing training and education to a range of students interested in entering the nursing profession.  A true professional, Susanne earnedthe respect of all of her students and was known by many as the ‘nurses’ nurse.’ She had a gift for teaching and a passion for sharing her knowledge with her students.

Susanne loved to travel, especially with Parma Public Schools teachers and their families each spring to Myrtle Beach, SC.  She also loved to play bridge and participated in several clubs over the years, meeting new friends and enjoying fellowship and laughter. Sue Kovach lived a long, happy and fulfilling life – marrying the love of her life and sharing joy with all she touched.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Holy Family Church, 7367 York Rd., Parma, OH 44130 . Mass of Christian Burial in the chapel at Holy Family Church Monday, May 16, 2022 at 10 a.m. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends received at THE RIPEPI FUNERAL HOME, 5762 PEARL RD. (AT SNOW RD.), SUNDAY, MAY 15 from 3-5 P.M.