Frank Kogovsek Sr.

FRANK KOGOVSEK SR., age 86, passed away peacefully after a short illness on May 23, 2026, surrounded by family and much love from both near and far. Beloved husband for 63 years of Jennie "Ivanka" (nee Rus); loving father of Frank, Jr. (wife Laurie), Louise Sulecki (husband Jim), David (wife Amy), Monika Michaud (husband Jeff), and Majda Valerian (husband Dan); much-loved grandfather "Ata" of Nicholas and Jennifer Kogovsek, Erika (Richard Brown-Hernandez) and Nathan Sulecki, David and Brennan Kogovsek, Marina Keel (husband Christopher), Brianna Debczynski (husband Mat), Celena Auer (husband Sean), Jeffrey Michaud, Jr., and Michael, Nola, and Alex Valerian and great-grandfather of Christopher Jr. "CJ" Keel; cherished son of the late Janez and Marija (nee Gantar); dearest brother of Francka Makse (husband Bozidar, deceased), Rezka "Theresa" Rus (husband Tony), and the late Janez (wife Fanci, deceased), Mici Mazi (husband Tony, deceased), Ivanka Rus (husband France), Joze (wife Martina, deceased), Marjanca Leskovec (husband Johan, deceased), and Tone; dear uncle, great-uncle, and friend of many.

Frank was born Frančišek Kogovšek on September 24, 1939 into a large farming family in Smrečje (Notranjska), Slovenia, where in the surrounding hills he led an active and adventure-filled boyhood of biking, schooling, and skiing, the escapades of which he later enjoyed sharing with his family and friends. He served a mandatory stint in the Yugoslav People's Army and attended machinist school in Stuttgart, (West) Germany. In 1962 he followed his heart to the United States, where he pursued and in 1963 married Jennie, whom he had met while both still lived in Slovenia. Settling in Cleveland and the surrounding area, Frank then established a long career as a machinist and a shop foreman while also personally constructing his own home in the suburb of Willoughby Hills. There he and Jennie raised their family and enjoyed many memorable parties, holidays, and family get-togethers at which Frank served as a happy, smiling, and generous host.

Frank worked for National Acme for many years, then enjoyed a highly successful 21-year career at PAKO, Inc. during which he quickly moved up the ladder to become shop foreman. On his retirement in 2004, Frank was lauded by PAKO for his "combination of 'Yankee ingenuity' and 'Slovenian stubbornness'" and described as "astonishing" what he had accomplished during his career there. In retirement as throughout most of his life, Frank continued to lend his vast expertise and unstinting hard work to maintaining, improving, and expanding Slovenska Pristava, the Slovenian recreational and cultural area in Ashtabula County, Ohio, which was both his hobby and his enduring passion for preserving the Slovenian culture in America.

Frank was a handyman supreme, a friend to all, unfailingly generous, a pillar of the Slovenian community, and a longtime parishioner of St. Vitus Church in Cleveland. He was a devoted husband and a doting father and grandfather and great-grandfather and was enormously well-liked and well-respected among Cleveland's Slovenian-Americans as well as by many, many others. He will be missed by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Frank to Slovenska Pristava HERE. Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, May 30, 2026, at St. Vitus Catholic Church, 6019 Lausche Ave, Cleveland, Ohio, 44103, at 10 AM. Burial following at All Souls. Family will receive friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Frank at THE ZEVNIK-COSIC FUNERAL HOME OF WILLOUGHBY HILLS, 28890 CHARDON ROAD (between Bishop Rd. and Rt. 91) FRIDAY 2-4 and 5-8 PM.