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YOVANOVICH, Katharina (Katy) - Age 93, passed away peacefully in her sleep with her daughter holding her hand at the Erie Shores Hospice Residential Home in Leamington on Friday, February 7, 2020 due to a brain tumour. Katy was born in Vukovar Croatia formerly known as Yugoslavia. Following the war, she fled to Canada in 1948 settling and working in Hawkesbury, Deep River and Toronto. She married Zika (Jack) Yovanovich in November 1952 and they settled in Niagara Falls. Jack died in October 1993 after 41 years of marriage.
This amazing woman, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother gave birth to three daughters all a year apart while all the time working outside the home. Despite both Katy and Jack having only a Grade 3 education, they purchased and worked both at a restaurant, Jack’s Lunch, for 13 years and then a hotel, the King Edward, for 10 years. Katy cooked in the kitchen every day at both places and once the hotel was sold, she continued working at a golf course for another 8 years before her eventual retirement from cooking for the masses. While she was a dedicated and loving mom, she especially embraced her role as a Grannie (Graham Cracker) to Michael and Stephanie and GG (Great Grandmother) to Kya. The energy and time she spent on her grandchildren was amazing and the love she received back was undeniable.
Katy loved to knit and crochet turning out many sweaters for both babies and adults, afghans, and slippers. She was an avid gardener, walker, baker and aquasizer right up to her ninety-third birthday. As a Lifetime member of WW for over 24 years, Katy faithfully took a bus once a month for her monthly weigh in and was very proud of her accomplishment. She took pride in still being able to shovel her own driveway and sidewalks and cutting her own grass until she finally moved from her home of 67 years down to the Kingsville Chartwell Retirement home. She spent 7 months there before spending her last week in Hospice. Thank you to the wonderful staff and residents at Chartwell for welcoming her so graciously. A heartfelt thank-you to Erie Shores Hospice staff and volunteers for the care, compassion, support and comfort that they provided to both Katy and our family. Katy was a role model of a strong, hardworking, determined, loving independent woman who valued her family and friends. This will be her lasting legacy. She is survived by her daughters Vera Wilcox (Alan) Nada Leonard (Chuck) Violet Yovanovich (David Brown), grandchildren Michael and Stephanie Wilcox and great granddaughter Nahkya Wilcox.
Visitation will be held at Morse &Son Funeral Home, 5917 Main Street, Niagara Fall, ON, on Friday February 14, 2020 from 11am-1pm with a funeral service to follow in the chapel. Burial in Lundy’s Lane Cemetery. In lieu of flowers a memorial donation can be made in Katy’s name online to TheHospice.ca.
Memories, photos and condolences may be shared at www.morseandson.com