Ivanka Anna Suveg

Ivanka Anna Suveg passed away on October 9, 2024 in Post Falls, Idaho, at the age of 91.  

Ivanka was born in Vocin, Croatia on February 10, 1933. She was the first- born child of Maria and Ivan Fekete, and was named after her father. Ivan Fekete was a railroad engineer in Croatia (formerly Yugoslavia), which resulted in the family moving frequently to small towns located near the railroad. Ivanka lived a simple life, learning skills such as sewing, baking and crafting, experiences which would be her foundation for a lifelong love of art. As a five-year-old child, she enjoyed many celebrations in her town, complete with food, singing, and dancing. Ivanka loved to spend time in a nearby meadow, where she felt great peace. In her memoir, she recalled “Sometimes I just plopped down among all the flowers and disappeared among the colors. The smell of the earth made me feel closer to God.” 

Ivanka moved with her family to Hungary. During WWII, the atrocities of war greatly affected Ivanka as the military took over their home for use as a command center. The family struggled to survive, living in the basement of their homewith the constant threat of death. She would write, “We suffered beyond our understanding, but as the days passed our strength for living increased…Our underground experience left us with a lifelong goal, to know the joys of life, and the joys of freedom.” On September 22, 1956, in Sopron, Hungary, Ivanka married the love of her life, Josef Suveg. Josef was in college, and Ivanka was teaching kindergarten. Upon graduation, Josef moved to work at a coal mine 200 miles away, while Ivanka lived with her parents, and continued working until the school year ended.

The Hungarian Uprising in 1956 forced Ivanka and her family to escape to Austria. Using Radio Free Europe, Ivanka was able to communicate to Josef (who was still working in the mines). Josef then planned and escaped Hungary, and the two were reunited at the Linz-Ebelsberg refugee camp in Austria. Given the choice of immigrating to Australia or the United States, the USA was chosen because it was closer in proximity. At Camp Kilmer in New Jersey, Ivanka and Josef were given food and shelter before being sponsored by Allen and Betty Landauer in White Plains, New York. Ivanka worked as a seamstress while Josef labored as a janitor. After a time, Mr. Landauer connected Josef with an executive from the American Smelting and Refining Company who offered Josef a job in Wallace, Idaho.

Ivanka and Josef flew to Spokane, Washington, boarded a Greyhound bus and arrived in Wallace, Idaho on April 6, 1957. Upon arriving in Wallace, Ivanka and Josef were welcomed by Sophia and Ralph Armbruster, who lived in the Burke Canyon. A bond was formed, and the Armbruster’s became “adopted” grandparents and God parents of Joe and Ivanka’s children. In Wallace, they lived in a small apartment on Cypress Street. After a time, a move was made to anupstairs apartment on Third Street. It was there that they learned the cultural and language skills from their landlords Eli and Helen Hawk, which would help them to integrate into their new country. Eventually, Josef and Ivanka would make several moves, residing on King Street in Wallace, Victoria, NV, Republic, WA and Coeur d’Alene, ID.

In retirement, Ivanka continued her lifelong love of learning at North Idaho College where she became proficient in painting in multiple mediums, creative writing, and sculpting. Ivanka loved her backyard and fruit trees, and she was an excellent cook, food preservationist, and baker. Anyone who visited the Suveg home was given a loaf of her famous banana bread to enjoy. She enjoyed knitting and made hundreds of socks as gifts, and knitted her signature “cone head” caps for the cold winters.

Ivanka was preceded in death by her husband Josef; father Ivan; mother Maria; sisters Blanka, Zdenka, and Helga; brother Josef. She is survived by her children: son Antal Ralph Suveg (Margaret), daughter Anna Maria Kestell, son John Josef Suveg, and daughter Barbara Sophia Suveg (partner Steve Moyer); grandchildren: Kaitlyn Partin (Harbor), Sarah Regan, Lukas Suveg (Julie Sabo), Joseph Kestell, Robert Kestell, Josef Suveg, and Jaclyn Suveg (fiancé Alex Rogers); and her five great grandchildren Chloe Regan, Ash Suveg, Fisher Partin, Ezra Partin, and Atlas Partin. She also leaves behind an honorary son (via a foreign exchange student program), Paulo Teixeira (Alice) and his family.

Ivanka’s children and grandchildren have a lot of memories from their time spent with her. Many of the activities revolved around Ivanka’s love of art and baking. A few of the projects are baking banana bread, lemon cake and holiday treats; making sauerkraut, and stuffing the Thanksgiving turkey; painting rocks and throwing pottery; Hungarian holiday traditions, and listening to Josef and Ivanka speak in their native language; making herbal teas; playing games; swinging on the back porch and enjoying the beauty of her backyard; and trips to the mall and candy store.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be given to the “Ivanka A Suveg Memorial Scholarship” through the North Idaho College Foundation, Inc., at 1000 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, or securely online at www.nic.edu/give.

A rosary will be held at the English Funeral Chapel in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday, October 24 at 6 p.m. Her celebration of life mass will be held at St. Thomas Church on Friday, October 25 at noon, followed by a reception at the St. Thomas center.