Frank "Fritz" W. Kovacs, 81, of Oregon, OH passed away January 16, 2007, at St. Charles Mercy Center. He was born on January 18, 1925, to Joseph and Mary (Ivan) Kovacs in Toledo, OH. During World War II, Frank proudly served his country as a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps, 450 Bomb Group 721 Bomb Squadron. After many missions over the Rhineland serving as a radio operator and mechanic gunner on a B-24 named "Strange Cargo", his plane was disabled and belly landed over the Brenner Pass. The crew spent the remainder of the war held as "Swiss Internees." Wounded in action, Frank received the Purple Heart and an Air Medal. He was employed by the Sun Oil Refinery as an electrician and maintenance foreman for 37 years, retiring in 1987. Fritz was a life long member of St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church, past president of the parish council and the Holy Name Society and a church usher. He also bowled on the church bowling league and coached the Pee-Wee CYO baseball team for 14 years. He was a chairman for the 20th Ward Democratic Party and a life member of the Greater Birmingham VFW Post 4906. Frank enjoyed vacationing in Las Vegas and Florida with his wife and going to the Detroit Casinos with his family. "Papa Fritz" will be deeply missed and fondly remembered as a dedicated and loving husband, father and grandfather. Surviving are his loving wife of 55 years, Mary Ann; sons, Frank (Teresa) of Los Angeles, CA, Kenneth, Oregon, OH, Daniel (Barb), Toledo, OH, David, Toledo, OH and Michael (Debbie), Oregon, OH; sister, Theresa Peterson, Farmington Hills, MI; cousin, John Kovatch; grandchildren, Lindsay, Kelsey, Kelly, Matthew, and Corey and many nieces and nephews. Fritz was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Joseph, Stephen, John and infant brother, Julius and sisters, Anna Kovacs, Helen Lumincer and Mary Gurn. Friends and family may visit at the Eggleston Meinert Pavley Funeral Home, Oregon Chapel, 440 S. Coy Road on Thursday, January 18, 2007, from 2-8 p.m. with recitation of the Rosary at 4 p.m. and a VFW service at 7 p.m. Funeral services will begin in the funeral home on Friday at 10:15 a.m. and proceed to St. Stephen's Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in St. Ignatius Cemetery. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy in Fritz's memory are asked to consider St. Stephen Church or the charity of the donor's choice Visitation: Visitation Times Thursday, 2-9 p.m. Oregon Chapel