Memorials › Leonard Josef Kovar
Leonard Josef Kovar
4 Nov 1921 – 29 May 2010
| Birth | 4 Nov 1921 |
| Death | 29 May 2010 |
| Cemetery | Memory Gardens Victoria , Victoria County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | franknpat on 30 Dec 2021 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127124628 |
Bio
Published by Legacy Remembers from May 31 to Jun. 2, 2010. VICTORIA - Leonard Joseph Kovar, age 88, of Victoria, died on May 29, 2010, at his home. He was born Nov. 4, 1921, in Six Mile, in Calhoun County, to the late Joe T. Kovar and Frances Kabela Kovar. Leonard was the son of sharecrop farmers whose ancestors immigrated to Texas in the 1800s from what was then called Czechoslovakia. His grandfather was a road contractor and built the first road from Port Lavaca to Indianola, before that seaport was destroyed by the hurricane of 1886. In 1925, at the age of four, his family moved to Victoria County to the Lone Tree Community between Guadalupe and Wood Hi. Leonard's early education took place at the Lone Tree School. He later attended Patti Welder High School, graduating in 1939. After high school, Leonard went to work at any job he could find. He was a route salesman for The Bama Pie Company and peddled Dixie Creme Donuts along the Houston Ship Channel, with both products being sold out of the rumble seat of his 1935 Ford Roadster. Additionally, he was a short order cook, a fireman on the bridge gang for Southern Pacific Railroad, a power line installer for the Rural Electrification Administration and a carpenter during the construction of Aloe Field. Leonard's entrepreneurial spirit led him to become the owner and manager of The Hawaiian Room, a Victoria nightclub on Oak Street behind the old Valley Gold Creamery. On Sept. 15, 1942, Leonard and three friends enlisted in the Marines in San Antonio and were immediately put on a troop train bound for boot camp at the San Diego Training Center. After basic training, Leonard was quickly deployed with the 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division into some of the heaviest fighting to be found in the Pacific Theater. As the American push against the Japanese continued in New Guinea and New Britain, Peleliu came next. "It was supposed to be one of those famous '72-hour' operations, but we were still fighting in the jungles thirty three days later." Kovar took three rounds of Japanese fire in the chest and shoulder and received the Purple Heart and additional combat ribbons. Leonard was hospitalized for eleven months before being discharged on Sept. 29, 1945. In 1948, Leonard married Thelma Fitzpatrick, a Bloomington native. Leonard was active for many years with the Victoria Chamber of Commerce, having served as president. He has been a member of the Victoria Lions Club since 1969 where he was a past President and recipient of the Melvin Jones Award; served on the Board of Directors of the City-County Child Welfare Unit; was a former director of the United Way; past president of the local chapter of the TB & Respiratory Disease Association; was past director of Ford Dealer Advertising Federation; and served four terms as a Director of Texas Automobile Dealers Association among numerous other civic affiliations. Leonard was a member of the American Legion and served as Post Commander for the VFW Post 4146. He was the last remaining charter member of the VFW having belonged since 1945. He was a member of First English Lutheran Church having served as a deacon, elder, usher, and Sunday School Superintendent. He also served on the Board of Directors of Citizens National Bank and First State Bank of Texas. He began his automobile career in 1950 at Atzenhoffer Chevrolet detailing used vehicles and later became the General Sales Manager at Atzenhoffer. In 1969, Leonard and Jack Swain bought Timberlake Motors and started the partnership of Swain-Kovar Ford. He bought out his partner in 1979 to form Leonard Kovar Ford, which he and his family operated until his retirement in 2003. Leonard is survived by his wife of 15 years, Alice Dvorak Kovar; daughter, Linda Seerden and husband Ron; grandsons, Daron Seerden and wife Heidi, and Heath Seerden and wife Rachel, all of Victoria; stepchildren, Gene Jolly and wife Margorie of Victora, Helen "Dusty" Howard of Georgetown, Mike Jordan and wife Betty of Victoria, Jimmy Jordan and wife Patricia of Richardson; sister, Lorraine Patterson and husband Pat of Baytown; brothers, Allan Kovar of Victoria, Joe Kovar Jr. and wife Jadine of Victoria; numerous step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Leonard was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Thelma Fitzpatrick Kovar; brother, Monroe Kovar; stepdaughter, Peggy Parr; stepson, Patrick Jordan; and step-grandchild, Carol Youngblood. Leonard truly believed in the strength of America, our right to freedom and, in particular, The U.S. Marine Corp. Leonard genuinely cared about people as he thought of his employees as family and customers as friends. In his later years, he was an avid supporter of the Houston Astros and the Texas Longhorns. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 1, from 6-8 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home at 1801 E. Red River. Funeral service will be held Wednesday, June 2, at 10 a.m. at First English Lutheran Church, 516 N. Main Street. The Revs. Jerry Wirtley and David Tart will officiate with the burial to follow at Memory Gardens, with full military honors under Auspices of Victoria County Veterans Council, AL, CWV, VFW, DAV, MCL, MOWW, Ex-POW, MOPH, VVA and the KWV. Serving as pallbearers, John Larson, Oscar Zuniga, Dave Sather, Walter Kerr, Melvin Stubbs, and Gary Lassmann. Serving as honorary pallbearers, Joseph P. Kelly, Ruben Laza, The Victoria Lions Club, and all former employees of Leonard Kovar Ford. The Kovar - Seerden family would like to give special thanks to Dora Leos, Kares Dennis, Reyes Sherman, Karla Alvear, Hospice of South Texas, and all other caregivers who were so generous to Mr. Kovar. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com. Memorials can be made to First English Lutheran Church Building Fund, Hospice of South Texas, The Victoria Lions Club or donor's choice. Arrangements are with Colonial Funeral Home, Victoria, 361-578-3535.
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Marine 1sr Division World War II
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