KEVERN BIOGRAPHY
KEVERN BIOGRAPHY
Charles Nemeth). The document, dated Aug 21, 1913, notes that Mary Louise Danyi was united in marriage with Lajos “Kozonits”—misspelling the name. Father Petern was Russian, and seems to have used the Russian spelling of using a “t” in place of a “c.”
Charles Nemeth). The document, dated Aug 21, 1913, notes that Mary Louise Danyi was united in marriage with Lajos “Kozonits”—misspelling the name. Father Petern was Russian, and seems to have used the Russian spelling of using a “t” in place of a “c.”
The Danyis
The Danyis
Little is known about Lou’s maternal grandparents, John Danyi and his wife, Susan Kalapos Danyi, including the names of their parents. “John” and Lajos “Louis” Kozonics (1890-1965), Lou’s father. “Susan” seem to be Americanized versions of their birth names. They were born in Hungary during the time of the American Civil War, and family members believe they may have been orphans (the various Austrio-Hungarian wars often left orphans). John and Susan married in Hungary and had five children. The first three were born in Hungary: Elizabeth (1892), John Jr. (1894), and Lou’s mother, Mary Louise (1896). We can imagine that John immigrated first, as was the custom at the time, and worked to earn enough money to send for his family’s passage. Family members believe that neither John nor Susan became U.S. citizens, although they would spend the rest of their lives there. The first Danyi to be born in the United States was Joseph (1903), Mary Danyi Kozonics, Lou’s followed by the last child, Anna (1905). mother. Lou recalls that when her mother was a girl, perhaps aged 13, she was sent to New Jersey to be a playmate for the child of a wealthy Passaic banker. “That may be where she got her sense of fashion,” Lou said. “My mother learned to sew at a young age, and made beautiful clothes. She was a real fashion plate.” Eventually, John and Susan Danyi made their way to Lorain. In Lorain, their daughter, Mary Louise, would meet her future husband, Louis Kozonics, and their daughter, Louise, would meet Bill Kevern— the man she would stay married to for more than sixty years. Lorain already had a very active European community. Lorain was a logical choice: the two largest industries were shipping and steel. Originally, the swampy
Little is known about Lou’s maternal grandparents, John Danyi and his wife, Susan Kalapos Danyi, including the names of their parents. “John” and Lajos “Louis” Kozonics (1890-1965), Lou’s father. “Susan” seem to be Americanized versions of their birth names. They were born in Hungary during the time of the American Civil War, and family members believe they may have been orphans (the various Austrio-Hungarian wars often left orphans). John and Susan married in Hungary and had five children. The first three were born in Hungary: Elizabeth (1892), John Jr. (1894), and Lou’s mother, Mary Louise (1896). We can imagine that John immigrated first, as was the custom at the time, and worked to earn enough money to send for his family’s passage. Family members believe that neither John nor Susan became U.S. citizens, although they would spend the rest of their lives there. The first Danyi to be born in the United States was Joseph (1903), Mary Danyi Kozonics, Lou’s followed by the last child, Anna (1905). mother. Lou recalls that when her mother was a girl, perhaps aged 13, she was sent to New Jersey to be a playmate for the child of a wealthy Passaic banker. “That may be where she got her sense of fashion,” Lou said. “My mother learned to sew at a young age, and made beautiful clothes. She was a real fashion plate.” Eventually, John and Susan Danyi made their way to Lorain. In Lorain, their daughter, Mary Louise, would meet her future husband, Louis Kozonics, and their daughter, Louise, would meet Bill Kevern— the man she would stay married to for more than sixty years. Lorain already had a very active European community. Lorain was a logical choice: the two largest industries were shipping and steel. Originally, the swampy
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