John S. "Buddy" Kovacs, age 55, of Flushing, Ohio, died Friday, January 7, 2005 at Wheeling Hospital, Wheeling, West Virginia.

He was born on January 16, 1949, son of John J. Kovacs and the late Ida Chini Kovacs.

Buddy was a former owner and operator of JSK Transport at Flushing; he was a member of Ohio Valley Street Survivors and a member of Sons of the American Legion Post #366 at Flushing.

John was preceded in death by his mother, Ida Kovacs.

Surviving are his wife, Joyce "Toni" Helt Kovacs; his father, John J. Kovacs of Flushing; a son, Jeffrey S. Kovacs of Lafferty; two daughters, Lori Mann and her husband Tim of Flushing and Julie Reed and her husband Edward of New Athens; five grandsons, Timothy, Dale, Craig and Travis Mann and Steven Reed; two brothers, Ronald Kovacs and Richard Kovacs and his wife Janice all of Flushing; three sisters, Joann Barylak and her husband Mike of Barnesville, Janet Applegarth and her husband Wayne and Christine Patterson and her husband Mike all of Flushing.

Family and friends will be received at the Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville on Sunday from 12 Noon to 8 p.m., where services will be held on Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 at 11 a.m., with Rev. Wayne Ickes officiating. Burial will follow at Rock Hill Cemetery, Flushing, Ohio.