Margaret ‘Ducky’ Kovac: Administrative assistant and devoted matriarch

Margaret “Ducky” Kovac, 78, a longtime resident of Greenwich, Conn., died Oct. 21, 2024 with her husband, as always, by her side.

Ducky was born in Bronxville and raised in Port Chester.

She was the daughter of Theresa Hanafe McMahon and William McMahon, who predeceased her, and attended grammar school at Our Lady of Mercy in Port Chester, where she first met her future husband, Jim Kovac.

She went on to attend the Academy of The Resurrection and Westchester School of Business.

Ducky was a loving daughter, sister, wife, aunt, mother, and grandmother and had a successful career as an administrative assistant.

In addition, she supported her husband in his career, especially once computers and technology came on the scene.

She was a member of St. Clements Church in Stamford, Conn. and was previously a member of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside.

She loved spending time with her husband and her family and enjoyed crossword puzzles, visiting Todd’s Point, and going out to eat.

She was an avid listener of the local radio station and possibly holds the record for most wins of their call-in contests.

Ducky’s husband recalled that she couldn’t cook when they got married, which resulted in many early kitchen mishaps of family lore; however, she taught herself over time and became a truly incredible cook.

Her home was always filled with the aroma of her next delicious meal and, as many friends can attest, her iced tea was legendary.

More than this, her home was always filled with people, music, and cheer.

Whether it was kids dropping by after biking around the cul-de-sac, musicians in the basement, or sports teams at a pregame meal, her house was always open and full of life, and, boy, could she host a holiday party!

Her many nieces, nephews, and other extended family still cherish memories of Christmas at Ducky and Jim’s.

Ducky enjoyed traveling and had cherished memories of family trips to Lake George, Notre Dame, and especially her visit to Ireland.

She was very proud of her Irish heritage, loved to listen to Irish music, and hosted a wonderful Irish feast for her family every St. Patrick’s Day.

She loved a good game, whether it was a tennis match at the Italian Center, a neighborhood competition on the cul-de-sac at Griffith Road, or even a game of Monopoly. Her playful and competitive spirit would come out on such occasions, and this was a good representation of her personality—Ducky was sweet and caring, but she was also incredibly strong and possessed rock-solid resolve and determination.

Although she achieved many things throughout her life, her most enduring legacy is how she lived it—with so much love and care for her family and friends. She found joy in this—it was natural to her, and it filled up her life as well as the lives of those around her.

At the time of her death, she was survived by her devoted husband, James Kovac, children Frank Kovac (Christine Kovac), Jim Kovac (Stephanie Kovac), Megan Kovac (Crista Farrell), grandchildren Jack Kovac, James Kovac, Kylie Kovac, Brooke Kovac, Sadie Kovac, Benjamin Kovac, and Lila Farrell-Kovac; her sister Rosemary Rarick, brother William McMahon, and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.

A Catholic Memorial Mass will be held Fri., Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Ave., Riverside, Conn.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to The American Cancer Society.