Steve Kovacev

Steve Kovacev, age 92, died on January 15, 2015 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Steve was born in Kenosha on June 10, 1922 and was the son of the late Gregory and Mary (Nimitz) Kovacev. He was educated in Kenosha area schools and was a 1940 graduate of Mary D. Bradford High School where he played quarterback on the school’s football team.

Steve began his musical career in Kenosha where he studied under Dragotin Elias, a well-known musician in the tamburitzans field. He performed with the Marsovian Troubadours, a semi-professional group of Croatian musicians in the Kenosha area. He later performed with the Elias Serenaders who toured on the Vaudeville circuit.

During World War II, Steve served as a radio operator on B-17 bombers in the European Theatre. This is where he met Walter Kolar, a former performer with the Duquesne University Tamburitzans. In 1947, Steve enrolled in Duquesne University and joined the Tamburitzans as both a tambura player and dancer. After graduation he embarked on a life-time career with the University Tamburitzans, including business manager, tour manager and dancer. Steve traveled to every state in the union and 35 countries with the group.

He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in education from Duquesne University. In 1984, he was inducted into the Tamburitza Association of America Hall of Fame. He was a long-time member of Kenosha’s Amity Lodge #692 of the Croatian Fraternal Union.

He is survived by his daughter, Marianna (Mark) Hurrell of Summit, NJ; several grandchildren; and his former wife and caregiver, Mary Craver.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Anne Walsh; his brother-in-law, Don Walsh; and his niece, Donna Walsh.