Edward A. Holovka, PhD's Obituary
Edward A. Holovka, PhD, age 87, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, October 8, 2019. He was born on December 7, 1931 and raised in the shadow of the coal mines in Windber, PA during the Great Depression to parents Michael and Anna (Danko) Holovka. He admired his immigrant parents from the Ukraine and Slovakia who raised nine children through hard work and devotion to family. His father was a coal miner for 42 years surviving two mine cave-ins while his mother cared for the family and both attended to the large garden and food-producing animals. Edward was the eighth born and a good student throughout school as well as earning letters in baseball and basketball. He joined the U.S. Army weeks after graduation and served during the Korean War and the active Army Reserves afterward with ten years of service achieving the rank of Master Sergeant. During that time, at duty station in Springfield, MO, he met and married June Triplett. With the college GI bill, they moved to California where he obtained his Associates of Arts Degree from now Diablo College, then to Pennsylvania State University for the Bachelor of Science Degree, both with honors and Phi Beta Kappa recognition. He then obtained his Master of Science Degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and later the Doctor of Philosophy from Wayne State University, all in Psychology. Dr. Holovka had a long 51-year career working as a clinician and school psychologist in Port Huron at the Mental Health and Child Guidance Center, schools in St. Clair County, the Muskegon Regional Center and the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. Dr. Holovka was also in private practice with Dr. Dominic Amante and provided contractual psychology services throughout West Michigan where he especially enjoyed working with children and the schools. Dr. Holovka was also an adjunct professor and taught at Wayne State University, Grand Valley State University and off-campus for Michigan State University. His added research and grant-writing helped to bring numerous new programs for special education students including the first program in Muskegon for autistic children, child abuse and others. Ed enjoyed many activities including family camping, hunting, fishing, canoeing, tennis, and staying in touch with extended family out of state. He was an accomplished woodcarver and shared his work with others. Ed was a strong environmentalist and protected the environment by planting trees. His marriage ended in divorce after 29 years and he later married Diana (Noble) Hopwood, sharing many enjoyable years together. He and Diana were a team in his later travels, private practice and volunteer work. His travels took him throughout the United States and Canada, Europe, and six months of teaching in his mother’s native land of Slovakia, as well as hiking the Grand Canyon. His keen interest in children and youth led to volunteer work and mission trips to Haiti, Mexico, Louisiana, and Ukraine working with abused and neglected children and on the Muskegon County Foster Care Review Board and State of Michigan Advisory Committee, the Holton School Board, president of the Friends of Musketawa Trail for 21 years, and other various ad hoc committees. He was a long-time and active member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church, the Holton American Legion, national and state professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, and the Michigan Association of School Psychologists. He leaves behind his wife, Diana Holovka, his son, Michael (Debbie) Holovka, his daughter, Terry Holovka Boothroyd, his step-daughter, Sandra Hopwood, his step-son, Brian Hopwood, and grandchildren, Michael Jr, Jacob, Joshua, and Guinevere, all who reside in West Michigan. He has many nieces and nephews living throughout the U.S. and always kept in touch through writing a family newsletter. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Anna Frazer, Mary Christon, Sue Killian, and Helen Weaver and brothers, Michael, John, George and Patrick. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 AM Saturday, October 19, 2019 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, (1110 Dykstra Rd.) with Rev. Fr. Anthony M. Pelak presiding. Military Honors will be offered by the Army National Guard and the Muskegon County Council of Veterans of Foreign Wars. Visitation will be held 5-8 PM Friday, October 18, 2019 at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 Harvey St, Norton Shores, MI 49444 and one hour prior to Mass, 10-11 AM Saturday at the church. Memorial Contributions may be directed to Friends of the Musketawa Trail (www.musketawatrail.com) or Hospice of Michigan (www.hom.org). Sign the guestbook online at www.sytsemafh.com
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