Lead, Deadwood residents mourn death of priest

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - Residents of Deadwood and Lead are mourning the death of a local priest in a plane crash in southeastern Montana.

The body of Peter Kovarik, 50, was found in the wreckage in a rugged area known as Finger Buttes near Alzada, Montana, on Sunday. He was flying the Cessna plane solo on Friday when he crashed shortly after takeoff from the Spearfish airport. Federal authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

Kovarik was the priest at St. Ambrose Parish in Deadwood and the St. Patrick parish in Lead for about a year.

“Father Pete was very passionate about his vocation, and very passionate about his community,” Lead Mayor Jerry Apa told KOTA-TV.

He had been a priest since 1991, and learned to fly while serving parishes in Timber Lake, Isabel and Trail City, his mother, Marge Kovarik, of Rapid City, told the Rapid City Journal.

“Flying was the joy of his life,” she said.

Diocese of Rapid City Bishop Robert Gruss told KOTA-TV that Kovarik relieved stress and enjoyed “the beauty of God’s creation” through flying.

“He loved to just get in his plane and just go,” Gruss said.

Kovarik took a sabbatical several years ago in Rome, where he became fond of Italian cooking and fell in love with the little family restaurants in the mountain villages, according to his mother. Many of his parishioners enjoyed his culinary skills, and Kovarik cooked and served breakfast after the Friday morning Mass, Apa told the Journal.

“He was a very passionate, caring person who was good at taking care of his church flock,” Apa said.

Kovarik was gregarious and well-loved wherever he went, Gruss told the Journal.

“He will be remembered as one who loved the Lord and was in love with his priesthood,” Gruss said. “He was serious, but he had a lot of fun as well. He will be deeply missed by all of us.”