Kovacevich, Jeffrey W. 1954 - 2018
KOVACEVICH, LANGLAND, CLARK, JONSON, LARSON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/26/2018 at 15:20:10
Jeffrey W. Kovacevich, age 64, of Decorah, Iowa, passed away peacefully Monday morning, September 17, 2018 at his home in Decorah.
A Celebration of Life will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2018, with a Memorial Service at 6:30 p.m., at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah. Rev. Kurt Bockoven will be officiating.
Jeffrey William Kovacevich left this earth in the early morning hours of September 17, 2018 at home after his short, but valiant, fight against small cell lung cancer.
Jeff was born on August 18, 1954 to Carol and William Kovacevich in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Des Moines schools and graduated from Valley High School in West Des Moines. Jeff attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree in architecture. He worked much of his career with Johnson Specialties out of Des Moines. Some of the work from this company can be seen in Decorah with the Decorah High School and the addition to St. Benedict Church. He also won bids for the company for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, of which he was extremely proud. He was very dedicated to his job and had a strong work ethic, which allowed him to work from home. While in Des Moines, he also worked part-time at several other businesses over the years as well.
He adopted Decorah as his home when he moved here, and he loved the architecture and preservation of the community. Of all the homes he owned over the years, his Victorian home was his greatest pride and joy, and also his biggest challenge. Jeff had a very keen sense of the historic value of the home and he respected that as he made improvements.
His interests were wide and varied and they included antique hunting, cooking, working on his home and dining out. Hosting meals and also providing his neighbors and others with plates of Christmas cookies each year brought him great joy. He also enjoyed his dogs, especially poodles, over his life. At one point he had three Bouvier des Flandres dogs. His present poodle, Wellington, provided a great deal of pleasure and also strength in the final days of Jeff’s life.
Jeff is survived by his partner, Steve Langland of Decorah; his sister Pamela Clark of Chandler, AZ; his two nephews, Nathan (Jenn) Clark of Florence, AZ and their children Celeste, Colton and Connor, and Nick (Josie) Clark of Delores, Colorado, and their son Evaan. He is survived by an aunt, Helen Jonson of Sun City, AZ.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Kovacevich; his mother, Carol Kovacevich Larson; his stepfather, Sam Larson; and his paternal and maternal grandparents.
A huge thank you goes out to Jeff’s neighbors for their friendship and adopting him as one of their own, and for their many acts of kindness during his illness. Also, a huge thank you goes out to the Winneshiek Medical Center and the Hospice program for the amazing care he received in the final week of his life.
In lieu of flowers, please direct any memorials to WMC Hospice, 901 Montgomery Street, Decorah, IA 52101 or the Aase Haugen Homes Capital Campaign, 4 Ohio Street, Decorah, IA 52101, in memory of Jeff.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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