Obituary of Eunice Rose Krivonak

Eunice Rose (Sternat) Krivonak, loving and vivacious mother and grandmother, left us and joined her heavenly Father on Friday, March 10, 2023. The hearts of her friends and family are saddened by her loss, but we take comfort knowing that she is at peace.

Eunice was born the youngest of 8 children on November 29, 1939, in the small farming town of Leroy, Wisconsin. Mom said that, as the baby of the family, she was a bit spoiled and could evade chores by hiding at the ledge by the Horicon Marsh along with her imaginary dog (Champion) and horse (Lightning). Her childhood was spent ice skating with friends, going to drive-ins, and working the farm, which had been in the family since 1864.

At a time when her friends were marrying and settling down, our adventurous mom packed up her VW Bug and moved to Colorado in 1961 with three of her friends and a horse. They shared an apartment together (not with the horse) and had a ball in their little bachelorette pad. They even raised a pet raccoon!

In 1966, she met Don Mayo, and “fell for him in a big way”, undaunted by the fact that he came with four young children. They married in 1970 and welcomed two more children. Their home in Arvada was a busy place with six kids, countless friends, and a plethora of animals, including goats, noisy ducks, fecund rabbits, hamsters, and gerbils, and the occasional horse, which would be allowed to graze in our suburban backyard. Weekends were spent golfing or taking the boat and camping at Jackson or Boyd Lake. Eunice cut a graceful figure whilst slalom water skiing behind our trusty orange Mach 1 power boat.

In 1985, Mom challenged herself by enrolling in Catholic Bible School of Denver, graduating in 1989. She later said this experience made her realize that she was capable of achieving a higher education. Following her divorce, Mom enrolled at Red Rocks Community College. She graduated with an Associates of Arts in 1996 and followed that by enrolling at the University of Northern Colorado, where she earned a 3.78 GPA and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelors of Art in Social Science.    

In 1993, Mom met Ed Krivonak through mutual friends at church. They married in 1996, moved to Loveland, and made St. John The Evangelist their church home. Ed and Mom were a beautiful couple, with his gentle kindness and her feisty spirit. The two of them loved traveling, working in the garden, and arguing over the answers to the crossword puzzle. Mom sang in the St. John’s choir for years and was sad when she couldn’t do that any longer. Before retiring, she worked for the Thompson School District and later as the Activity Director at Sterling House Assisted Living. She volunteered with the church, Pathways Hospice, the Sjogren’s Foundation, and she provided support and transportation for people living with AIDS/HIV.

Mom and Ed’s house was the center of family activity and most holidays were spent there. The highlight for many of us was the fourth of July BBQs that they held at their house. All family and friends were welcome and we would have games in the backyard while we sat around and ate. When the fireworks were about to begin, we would all walk down the street to Loveland HS and set up camp. Afterwards, we would all go back to their house to play board games and eat ice cream while waiting for traffic to clear out.

Mom and Ed were wonderful parents and grandparents. They attended almost every soccer game, concert, and birthday party. They were always happy to babysit when stressed kids gave them a call. Mom taught her grandkids how to sew and she made beautiful quilts and clothes for everyone over the years. She was also a talented pianist and loved putting together puzzles. Our lives will be less lively and blessed now that she is gone. We will miss having her in our kitchen drinking coffee or chatting with us on the phone. We will miss seeing her on the sidelines, bundled up in blankets, cheering our kids on. We will miss her love, her care, and her lively sense of humor. (Her last words were a cheerful “Woo hoo!” as she drove in the ambulance to hospice.) But we are thankful that she was able to pass in peace, surrounded by loved ones, and we hope that, wherever she is, it is lovely.

Eunice is survived by her children: Linda (Gary) Prewett of Fort Collins, Lyn (Mike) Nugent of Christchurch, New Zealand, Pam (Greg) Miller of Westminster, Don (Teresa) Mayo of Goodyear, AZ, Dianna Mayo of Arvada, CO, Neil (Katsumi) Krivonak of Seattle, WA, and Gene Krivonak of Denver, CO, grandchildren: Jason, Krystal, Michael, Matthew, Maike, Tyra, Serena, Ava, Emily, Harper, and Noah, and great-grandchildren: Jason Jr., Dylan, Jaylla, Jaylin, and Raylan. She is also survived by her brother, Jerry (Darlene) Sternat, of Mayville, WI, and her sisters-in-law Mary Jane Sternat, Patty Sternat, and Caroline Sternat.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Rudy and Irene Sternat, her siblings, Merlin, Rudy (Gladys), Earl, Arnold, Norbert, Elaine (Gilbert) Geschke, and her sister-in-law, Madeline Sternat. She will also join her daughter, Patricia Lovisone, her husband, Edward, and her granddaughter, Madi Prewett, in heaven.

A viewing will be held at Viegut Funeral Home in Loveland on Monday, March 20th from 4-7pm.  The Catholic service and mass will be held the following day, Tuesday, March 21st at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Loveland.  The Rosary will be at 10am, the mass at 11 am, and the reception will follow.