Elizabeth Kochvar, October 22, 1917- April 18, 2026.
Elizabeth Kochvar passed away Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Michigan City, Indiana, with her children by her side at the age of 108.
The middle child of 11 siblings, Elizabeth Allee was born Oct. 22, 1917, in the farming community of Francesville, Indiana. During high school, she moved with her family to the neighboring Medaryville. She later moved to Michigan City.
In the early 1940’s, Elizabeth was in Michigan City, where she worked as a welder at Pullman-Standard. As part of the World War II effort, her job consisted of welding aluminum window frames for railroad cars carrying troops. It was there she met her husband, George Kochvar. 
She raised her four children, Marietta, April, Tom, and Jerry, in Michigan City and Trail Creek, Indiana.
When her children were grown, she worked at Joy Elementary, then Knapp Elementary, as a teacher’s assistant in the special education department. Her husband owned and operated George’s Auto Service. 
Upon retirement, Elizabeth and George became snowbirds, splitting time between Tucson, Arizona, Three Oaks, Michigan, and Trail Creek, Indiana. She would continue making the trek back and forth across the country after turning 100.
In the winters she was part of the Rincon Country East community, where she was involved in just about everything. She was part of the hiking club, horseshoes (won a silver medal at the senior Olympics), and loved going up to the clubhouse every morning for coffee with her friends and brother Jerry.
In the summer, she spent most of her time at Bob A Ron campground in southern Michigan, where she enjoyed meeting new people, hosting her grandkids, and staying on the move.
Elizabeth enjoyed nature and was an avid hiker, angler, and gardener. She hiked several miles every day at a pace so quick it was hard to keep up. She was even walking a mile and a half each day into her late nineties. She enjoyed gardening throughout her life, including well into her 100s. She loved puzzles, crossword puzzles, and even took up painting when she was in her seventies. She had a competitive spirit, all the way to the end, and always loved sharing a laugh over a good joke.
Elizabeth loved baking and cooking. Each of her family members has their favorites, whether it was her fried chicken, pies, homemade noodles, liver and onions, jarred pickles, strawberry jelly, or hundreds of cookie recipes. She made sure nobody was ever hungry.
The love of her life was her family. She had eleven siblings, four children, eight grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, and even three great-great-grandchildren. Her grandchildren have incredibly fond memories of their time with Grandma, baking, playing games, hiking, and just spending countless hours with her. She flew all over the country- from Hawaii to Florida to California and everywhere in between to share their special days with them. 
She is survived by her daughter, April (Ron) Stib, son, Thomas (Jan Dimke), daughter-in-law, Cindy Kochvar, grandchildren, Ron (Sherri) Walden, Kim (David) Prokop,  Susan Stib, Brooks (Rebecca) Kochvar, Jacqueline (Matthew) Piccini, Michael (Leah) Kochvar, Michelle (Corey) Lowe, great-grandchildren, Shannon Green, Amy Frederickson, Jeremy and Chloe Walden, Colby and Hannah Prokop, Sydney Paez, Ethan and Elijah Green, Luciano and Salomé Piccini, Dunning and Sullivan Kochvar, Calvin Lowe, and Peyton, Bentley and Peysley Kochvar.
Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband, George Kochvar, daughter Marietta Walden, son Jerry Kochvar, grandson Lee Walden, and her five sisters: Ruth O’Donnell, Betty Schultz, Mary Papp, Ruby Schmier, Georgianne, an infant sister, and five brothers: Roy, Raymond, Donald, 
Ronald, and Jerry Allee. 
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 am on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at the Ott/Haverstock Funeral Chapel, 418 Washington St., Michigan City, IN, with Chaplain Joe Mollet officiating. Burial will take place in Swan Lake Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be from 9:00 am - 10:00 am on Wednesday in the funeral chapel.
A sincere thank you to Krista (Traditions Hospice Nurse) for the loving care and support to Elizabeth and to her family, as well as all of the fine caretakers at The Elms At Michigan City Senior Living.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Traditions Health Hospice, 1229 Arrowhead Ct., Crown Point, IN 47307. 
To sign a guest book and leave condolences online, visit our website at www.otthaverstock.com.