Funeral services for Mrs. Maria Naumova Kovata, 90, of Monroe, LA, will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday, December 28, 2025, in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd. Monroe with Father Eudokimos-Martin Harding officiating. Private family interment will be held at Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00PM until service time Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the funeral home.

Mrs. Kovata was born on July 19, 1935, in Bitola, North Macedonia and passed away on December 23, 2025, in Sterlington, LA. She married and moved thousands of miles away from all that she knew to start a new life when she immigrated to the United States in 1961.

Maria and her husband Peter opened City Coney Island on Desiard Street. She devoted herself to building a life through steady work, kindness and perseverance – an example of quiet strength to all who knew her. “Miss Mary” was always at the restaurant she helped establish. She served many chili hotdogs and hamburgers to the customers she loved dearly before retiring in 1996.

Maria was a longtime volunteer at St. Francis Hospital. She loved working in the gift shop. In 2003 they decided to move to McKinney, Texas to be closer to their daughter. Maria continued volunteering at Medical Center of McKinney where she assisted in the giftshop. In 2021, they made the decision to move back to Monroe, a town that they always loved and missed.

Mrs. Kovata was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Peter Kovata; and son, James Peter “Jimmy” Kovata.

Survivors include her daughter, Jenny Kovata Armstrong and husband Peter; sister, Milica Ilievska; and numerous nieces.

The family would like to express special thanks to Ramona Moore for the love and care given to Mrs. Kovata, the staff at St. Joseph’s Hospice for their constant care and her dear friends Angela Jacobson and her family for their long-time friendship and for always being there for her.

Memorials may be made to your favorite Charity.