Peter KOVAC

KOVAC, Peter 2009-06-23 Peacefully with his family by his side, Peter Kovac, age 87 passed away on June 19th at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Peter was raised in the East End on McIntosh Street and attended St. Peter‘s school. His first job was driving the Star Bakery truck to the rural areas exchanging bread for chickens, vegetables, etc. At the beginning of WWII he worked in a stainless steel department of Canada Car where he met his wife, Claudine Perrin who worked in the riveting department. Peter enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942 and was a wheelsman on board HMCS Skeena which was a destroyer, where he saw action in Brest, France and D-Day. He was at sea during WWII for 666 days until his ship was sunk off the coast of Iceland where 15 of his crewmates perished. Upon discharge in 1945, he married Claudine on December 7th, 1946. In order to purchase their first home, Peter spent eight months working in the far north as a sheet metal worker in the building of the dew line. On his return home, he gained employment at Abitibi mill until his retirement at the age of 64. Peter‘s main hobby was the Royal Canadian Legion serving as president of the Slovak branch #129 from 1966-1968, Deputy Zone Commander 1972-1973, Zone Commander 1974-1975, and District # 8 Commander 1976-1979. Peter was Honourary President of Slovak Branch 129 since 1994 and was also Honourary President of Manitoba & NWO Command. Peter was a recipient of all Legion medals including life membership 1970, Meritorious Service Medal 1976, and the Legion‘s highest reward, the Palm Leaf in 1989. Peter is survived by his wife, Claudine and their 5 children, Richard, Sandra (Roger), Kenneth (Pam), Randy (Helen), Barbra (Garick), and 5 grandchildren, Ashley, Kayla, Ronald, Bruce, and Megan. A celebration of life will be held at the Slovak Legion on Thursday, June 25th, beginning at 10:30. Burial to take place in the Military Plot of Mountain View Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be gratefully appreciated. Online condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com