Margaret Alice Kovacs, 75, a resident of Newtown for more than 40 years, died on September 10 at her home, surrounded by family. She was born on April 23, 1941, in New Brunswick, N.J., daughter of the late Abraham and Alice Day Breese. She was the wife of her loving husband, Richard Kovacs, for 59 years.

She met her husband in her neighborhood in grade school. They were married in June 1957 and moved to Topeka, Kan., where their two children, Thomas and Wanda, were born.

Mrs Kovacs was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She helped found the family business: Kovacs Construction Corporation of Danbury and Oxford, which is still growing after 44 years. She was the office manager, as well as head of finance.

She loved to travel, meet people, and see the world. She lived in Fussa, Japan, for a few years and also lived and owned homes in Topeka; Orlando, Fla.; New Brunswick and Rockaway, N.J.; and Ocean View, Del.. She traveled throughout the United States, including South Yarmouth in Cape Cod, Alaska, and Hawaii. She also owned commercial properties in Danbury. Mrs Kovacs traveled to Rome; Budapest; Ljubljana; Slovenia; Prague; Sydney and Perth, Australia; and also Singapore. She was in San Francisco for the October 1989 earthquake. For 30 years, she made an annual visit to her favorite winter destination, the island of St Maarten.

Mrs Kovacs also volunteered for many agencies, including her church, Newtown United Methodist Church.

Besides her husband, her children Thomas Roy Kovacs, and his wife Maureen, of Washington, and Wanda Lynn McGarry of Danbury; her brothers and their wives, Joseph, and Fran Breese of New Jersey, Abraham and Marge Breese of Florida, Edward and Barbara Breese of New Jersey, and Henry Breese of Danbury; her sister, Loretta Rivera of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; brothers-in-law, King Kovacs and his wife, Claire, and Stephen Kovacs of Hamilton, N.J.; her best friend that she met in Topeka, Rose Pope of Westminster, Colo.; her sister-in-law Diane Kovacs of Topeka; and many nieces and nephews survive her. Her daughter Katherine Alice predeceased her.

A special thanks from Mrs Kovacs' family to her caregivers, Kholeka Bunge and Amanda August. The family would also like to thank all the doctors, nurses, and staff at the Danbury Hospital, Masonicare in Newtown, and Dr Allen Davis for the excellent care given to Mrs Kovacs over the last 4 years.

The family will receive friends at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, on Thursday, September 15, from 5 to 8 pm.

Memorial services will be held at the Newtown United Methodist Church, 92 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook, on Saturday, September 17, at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mrs Kovacs' name can be given to Newtown United Methodist Church, Board of Trustees, 92 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook CT 06482 or New Milford Visiting Nurse Association, 68 Park Lane Road, New Milford CT 06776.