Margaret F. (Ehouse) Simko

Margaret F. (Ehouse) Simko, age 97 of Mentor formerly of Painesville Twp, died Thursday October 12, 2017 at Lake Health West Medical Center, Willoughby. She was born June 19, 1920 In Painesville. Margaret was a homemaker. She was a longtime member of St. Mary’s Church, Painesville. Margaret was the loving wife of husband Steve R. Simko and loving mother of seven children. She stayed the last decade of years at Parker Place in Mentor, where she formed many wonderful friendships. Margaret is the daughter of Hungarian immigrants Joseph Ihasz and Mary Urban. Their family name was later anglicized to Ehouse. She and Steve both spoke fluent Hungarian as well as English. Her parents had a small farm on Park Rd. During the Depression Margaret stated they were fortunate compared to city dwellers as they could eat as they had chickens, a cow, vegetables and fruit trees. She like many who grew up during the Depression was frugal and made the most of everything. She graduated from Painesville Harvey High School. As a young girl she enjoyed going to the beach at Fairport Harbor and to dances at Township Park. At age 22, during WWII she was employed at Thompson Aircraft Products in Euclid making engine valves for B-29 bombers. She said they were hiring lots of people because of the war effort. Like millions of women during the war she said, “All you did was work and sleep.” Her older brother Joseph who was drafted at age 38 when he was already an established industrial welder was assigned by the Army to maintenance weld B-29s in Europe. Steve served in the Army to guard bauxite mines in Dutch Guinea. Bauxite is aluminum ore. Aluminum was used to make B-29s and other aircraft. Steve later worked as an aircraft mechanic at the Cleveland Airport, an auto mechanic at Stanton Ford in Painesville and as a welder at the Diamond Alkali. He was also a boxing champion in the Army as well as in civilian life as he won the Northeast Ohio Golden Gloves title in the light heavy weight division. Margaret helped Steve with auto repair at their home garage where Steve took in work. Steve was impressed that Margaret could drive a car at an early age as many women did not drive during those years. Like her parents before her, Margaret really enjoyed Hungarian cooking and preserving the Hungarian culture. They were not given over to hamburgers and fries. Favorite classic dishes were stuffed cabbage (toltott kaposzta) and stuffed peppers, chicken paprika, goulash (beef stew), kolbasz and hurka sausages, cucumber salad, pumpkin soup and stewed rabbit and kocsonya (pickled pork.) She made the classic desserts palacshinta (crepes), kolache (nut rolls) and awesome balushi (filled cookies.) During major Catholic holidays she and the ladies would start preparing feasts three days in advance. She also especially enjoyed canning foods for the winter including pickles, tomatoes, pears, cherries, and peaches. Steve and Margaret had an orchard and a large garden. As was the tradition in Fairport Harbor she and Steve participated in spirited Hungarian festivals. People dressed in colorful traditional village attire, listened to and danced to music such as the up tempo gypsy Czardas played on the violin. Margaret and Steve’s children include several engineers who worked in electronics in Silicon Valley and in the nuclear power field. Margaret will be missed by all her family and friends. Survivors include her children: Richard (Patricia) Simko, William (Barbara) Simko, Carol (Richard) Armao, Daniel (Elizabeth) Simko and Dennis Simko, 8 grandchildren: Errin Simko, Collette (Brian) Knauss, Tiffany (Jason) Wiberg, Dustan Simko, Brandon Armao, Nathan (Nicole) Simko, Jacob & Jared SImko, 4 great-grandchildren: Cooper, Brody, Vanessa and Rhys. Preceding Margaret in death is her husband; Steve R. Simko, children: David S. Simko, Frances K. Simko, parents; Joseph and Mary Ehouse, siblings: Infant brother: Michael, Joseph & Daniel Ehouse The family will receive friends from 6-8 pm, Wednesday October 18, 2017 at Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060. The funeral mass will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday October 19, 2017 at St. Mary Church, 242 N. State St., Painesville, Oh. 44077. Please meet at the church. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Painesville. Send flowers or offer condolences at www.brunners.com.

Margaret F. (Ehouse) Simko

June 19, 1920 - October 12, 2017