Lakeview Park Rose Garden
Posted on July 19, 2006:
Have you ever heard of the Lorain Rose Garden at Lakeview Park? Well in case you have or haven't, what follows is a little history of the Kretovics family.
On a piece of paper from a notepad with the emblem for California-Hawaii Elks Major Project, Inc., a letter arrived to my grandparents Lou and Alice Kretovics in early 2006. The letterhead is titled "Gerald E. Kretovics" most would know this man as Jerry Kretovics. He wrote:
"Hi folks,
Enclosed are copies of what I'm submitting to the Lorain Growth Group. I thought you might like copies.
Jerry"
The Lakeview Park Rose Garden had a long history of excellence dating back to its humble beginnings in 1932. One of the original members of the planning team was John Kretovics. he was there lending a helping hand in preparing the ground, laying out the planting beds and planting the many varieties of roses.
John took pride in this garden, tending to the roses, as if they were in his own yard. In fact, the nickname of "John's Rose Garden" was well earned by this passionate man, who spent countless hours working on something he loved and believed in, and knowing full-well what this garden also meant to the Lorain community.
John tended to the roses diligently over the next eleven years, helping the garden to become one of the most beautiful in the area. However, on one unusually hot day in the summer of 1943, with the temperature hovering around 85-degrees, George Chrehore, Park Superintendent, stopped by to check in on John and see how he was doing. John stated that "he was feeling fine". Ironically, thirty minutes later, at approximately 11:30 a.m., someone saw feet sticking out among the bushes. It was John found laying on the ground in the bushes he so loved. Unfortunately, even though he was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital, he passed away later that afternoon at the age of seventy-three. John was doing what he did best; working in the rose garden. The Lakeview Rose Garden lost its most dedicated caretaker that day.
Submitted by Gerald E. Kretovics, John's Grandson, who lives in San Diego, CA.
Image of John Kretovics
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