Madeline Svette

Madeline R. Svette, 94, of Kent, Ohio passed away peacefully at home on August 27, 2020. 

Madeline was born November 26, 1925 to Slovenian immigrants Mary (nee Ovnik) and Frank Stepic in Randall, Ohio.  She was the youngest of 13 children.  She attended Orange High School and was known to her friends as Madge or Maggie.  Madeline married her husband Louis on July 24, 1948 and they raised three children.  In 1978, Madeline and her husband moved to southern California, where they lived for 32 years.  Declining health brought them back to Ohio in 2010 to be near family.

Madeline enjoyed traveling.  She and her family spent many summer vacations visiting U.S. national parks and Ontario, Canada.  She was an avid outdoorsman and she and her husband loved to go on camping and fishing trips in their motorhome.  In her later years, she traveled to Europe and was able to visit Slovenia, the country of her heritage.

Madeline was a loyal Browns, Indians and Cavaliers fan and rarely missed a televised game.  Her greatest passion was gardening.  Whether in her vegetable garden, flower garden or cactus garden, she was always happy working with her plants.  She was an excellent cook and skilled at many sewing crafts.  She especially enjoyed working on jigsaw puzzles, playing cards, reading, playing bingo and going to the casino.  Madeline was a devout Christian and a member of St. Patrick Church of Kent.

Madeline will always be remembered for her constant smile and kind word for everyone.  She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her.

Madeline is preceded in death by her husband, Louis Svette; parents, Frank and Mary Stepic;  brothers, John (Irene) Stepic, Louis (Virginia) Stepic, Tony (Pauline) Stepic, Joseph (Margaret) Stepic, Albert (Ruth) Stepic, Frank (Helen) Stepic and Henry Stepic; sisters, Josephine (Louis) Nosse and Mary (Joseph) Cesek; sister-in-law, June Stepic, and several nieces and nephews.

On her husband’s side of the family, Madeline is preceded in death by brothers-in-law, John (Dorothy) Svette, Barney (Pauline) Svette, Martin (Helen) Svette, Fritz (Ruth) Svette and Joe (Eleanor) Svette; sisters-in-law, Ann (Louis) Bobnar, Rose (Steve) Grega, Mary (John) Krecek, Agnes (Jack) Kable and Frances (Michael) Phan; and several nieces and nephews. 

She is survived by daughter, Mary (Ronald) Rivett of Kent; sons, Louis (Lisa) Svette of Bakersfield, CA and James (Debbie) Svette of Sun City, CA; grandchildren, Meridith, Michael and Sara of CA; great-grandchildren, Uma and Quinn of CA; brother, Edward Stepic of Chardon; and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours are from 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. on FRIDAY Sept. 11 at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 West Main Street in Kent, and from 10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. on SATURDAY Sept. 12 at St. Patrick Church, 313 North Depeyster Street in Kent.  Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. A private burial will be held on a later date at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Patrick Church. 

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