Mary Evans Kovach passed away on Friday, July 27 ^th , 2018 peacefully in her home with her family after a long war with cancer. Mary was 76.

Mary was born, July 9, 1942, to William Edgar Evans and Jesse Carine Evans, in Sharon. She lived briefly in Farrell before moving to Hermitage and attended Hickory schools. After high school, she married her high school sweetheart, Eugene Kovach, and moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where Gene was serving in the Marine Corps. During that time, Mary gave birth to her daughter, Barbara (Thompson) in 1964. With her husband's service complete, they returned to the valley and Mary had her first son, Michael, in 1967. In 1971, her second son, William was born, and in 1975, her third son, Gregory.

When her children grew, Mary became a grandmother four times, to Michael Howard Lowrey, III, Tami Marie Lowrey (Owen), Emily Rose Kovach and Megan Nicole Kovach. As her grandchildren grew, she became a great grandmother to Laila Marie Owen and Logan Michael Owen. Mary cherished her family and they brought her immeasurable joy, happiness, and pride.

Mary was a licensed beautician and early in her career worked with her mother in her beauty shop and afterwards continued to be a personal beautician to her friends and family. Mary was also a dedicated secretary, book keeper and office manager to several area businesses over the decades. She also worked in Yuma, Arizona, for a time in the eighties as an office manager for their local hospice.

Though fiercely independent, Mary made many long lasting and meaningful friendships that withstood not only time, but distance as well. Some of her closest friends lived across country and she would endeavor to visit them at least once a year when they would proceed to raid the local casinos, to no avail.

Mary enjoyed gardening and the self sufficiency it brought and raised vegetables as well as berries and fruit trees which she would turn into canned goods, pies and sauces for the holidays, brandy and wine. An avid reader, she spent many hours finding new plants to grow and recipes to prepare for her family. She harbored a deep love for animals and her property became a sanctuary for any creature in need of food, water or shelter. Over the years, her home itself became the residence of many cats and dogs in need, all of whom were fortunate to have found such a loving caretaker.

Mary was also a member of the Church of the Good Shepherd in West Middlesex, and a member of the Sons of Italy Lodge in Sharon where she spent the winters playing Bocce.

Those surviving Mary, her family and friends, are left with loving memories of a beautiful, kind, hard working and independent woman; all of whom are better for having known her.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, 2018, in J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 1090 E. State St., Sharon.

Service is private.

Interment: Morefield Cemetery, Hermitage.