Bernard J. "Doc" Kovales, 86, of
Hurley, died Saturday, March 16, 2013, in Hurley. He was born Oct. 20, 1926, in Ironwood, Mich.,
son of the late Edward and Anna (Vida) Kovales, attended A.L. Norrie and St.
Ambrose Grade School, and graduated from St. Ambrose High School in 1944. He
then worked in area mines before entering the U.S. Army on Feb. 3, 1953, serving
in Co. B, 998th Engineer Battalion, in Korea, and was honorably discharged as a
corporal on Jan 24, 1955. Following his discharge, Doc returned to the
area and continued working in the mines until they closed. He then was employed
as a dairy product salesman and truck driver for the Bessemer Creamery in
Bessemer, Mich., as a chauffer for White Pine Transit, in mines in Minnesota, in
an engineering plant in California, and also in construction in Milwaukee. He
retired as an apartment landlord in 1980. Doc was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church
in Hurley and the former Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Ironwood. He was a life
member of Iron County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1580, where he served as
past post commander and past chaplain of the tenth district, and life member of
Hurley American Legion Post 58. He also was a member of the Military Order of
the Cootie, Hurley Pup Tent No. 35, member and past president of the Aurora
Athletic Club, member and past Grand Knight of the Hurley Knights of Columbus
Council, and member and past president of the Range Cribbage League and the
Ironwood Conservation Club. He transported disabled veterans to and from Iron
Mountain, Mich, for many years, and was an 11 -year volunteer for the Hurley
Volunteer Fire Department, retiring due to a disability with his sight and
hearing. Together with his wife, Adeline, Doc enjoyed traveling to conventions
and to Texas, Florida and nationwide in his motor home. He also was an avid
bowler and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He was married to the former Adeline Schneider
on June 26, 1965, at St. Mary's Church in Hurley. She survives. Also surviving are a daughter, Marianne (Bob)
Johnson, Troy, Ill.; three grandchildren, William (Teresa) Johnson, Henderson,
Tenn., and Jennifer (Yaz) Hassan and Christopher Johnson, both of Murfreesboro,
Tenn.; five great-grandchildren, Emil and Hannah Hassan, and Isaac, Emily and
Sarah Johnson; a sister-in-law, Grace Kovales, Milwaukee; and numerous nieces
and nephews. Besides his parents, Doc was preceded in death
by a son, Edward, at birth; daughter, Kathleen, at age 3 ; and three
brothers, Adam, at birth, Gordon and Jerome "Bear". A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Wednesday, March 27, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 10 a.m., at St.
Mary's Church in Hurley, with the Rev. Frank Kordek OFM, celebrant. Full military honors will be accorded by the
combined Iron Co. VFW Post 1580 and Hurley American Legion Post 58 Honor Guard,
with luncheon to follow in the parish hall. Rite of Committal and interment will be in St.
Mary's Cemetery, Hurley, in the spring. Pallbearers will be Jim Roth, Guy Kovales, Bob
and William Johnson, Ken Nicholls and Curt Wehrman. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are
preferred to St. Mary's Church, 404 Iron St., Hurley, WI 54534. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home, Inc., Ironwood, where condolences may be given online at
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.