BELLAIRE — The community is mourning the loss and honoring the life of a dedicated public servant who was committed to law and order and the safety of his community.

Michael Kovalyk, 72, of Bellaire died Sunday after a long career in law enforcement.

According to his obituary, he was born in Martins Ferry and raised in Bellaire, where he also raised his own family. After finishing school, he spent six years as a Hocking Hills park ranger before returning to Bellaire and joining the police department in 1979. He became chief of the department in 2005 and remained in the post until his retirement. He then joined the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office as a Resource Officer for the last five years at the Belmont Harrison Joint Vocational School.

Bellaire Mayor Ed Marling was a neighbor who lived close by.

“I knew Michael over the years, when I was mayor in Shadyside and I had talks with him,” he said. “After I moved to Bellaire, I lived up the street about six or eight doors from him, so I ran into him quite frequent. … Him and I talked quite a bit.”

“He was a good fella. The kids at the school, he was a resource officer out there, I think they’ll miss him a lot,” Marling said. “The number of years that he had in law enforcement, he did some grand things.”

He said one of the last cases Kovalyk was involved with was his testimony during the murder trial of David Kinney in 2018. Kovalyk had caught recordings of suspicious activity with the security cameras at his residence.

“I’m going to just miss seeing that vehicle sitting in front of his house every day when I come in,” Marling said. “I just wish his wife and kids well.”

Superintendent Richard Schoene of the Belmont Career Center commended Kovalyk’s professionalism.

“Deputy Kovalyk was our school resource officer. He was an integral part of our staff. He worked well with the kids, the staff, and he’ll be greatly missed,” he said.

“He was very caring and devoted, and he enjoyed working here as a school resource officer, and we enjoyed having him.”

He said Kovalyk worked at the school for close to five years and made an impact on multiple grades.

“He put a lot of time in law enforcement. He served the community and the county for a number of years,” Schoene said.

Bellaire Councilman Robert “Bubba” Kapral was a lifelong friend of Kovalyk.

“Michael I knew a long time before he became a police officer and police chief. First of all, Michael was just a good, good guy. His dad was the mayor of Bellaire for many years and a great guy, and Mike followed suit. He was first of all very, very genuine,” Kapral said, adding that Kovalyk’s devotion to people stood out. “When we come to the realm of police, that guy was totally dedicated. He put in countless hours. This guy would put in 50, 60 hours a week being the police chief because we were understaffed.”

Kapral recalled growing up in the same area as Kovalyk and both of them attending West Bellaire School.

“He was a true civil servant in all aspects,” he said. “We lost a great gentleman and we lost a great police officer. The Kovalyk family’s in my prayers.”

Chief Deputy James Zusack of the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office worked closely with Kovalyk.

“I knew him in both positions. When I worked the road, I would always stop down in Bellaire and see him. He gave me a lot of good advice in my career and, of course, once he left Bellaire he came on to our office as a school resource officer position,” Zusack said. “He did a really good job there for us. He got along with the staff up there and especially the kids. He poured his heart into that job and really enjoyed it. He’s going to be sadly missed in our office.”

Zusack said Kovalyk always made time for people and to work as a positive motivation for those around him.

“He really loved what he did, and he always expressed that. This office, we’re in mourning right now,” he said.

Family and friends will be received at the Bauknecht-Altmeyer Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Life Giving Fountain in Martins Ferry with the Rev. Constantine Makrinos as celebrant. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling.

Kovalyk is survived by his wife of 32 years, Rosalie Rigas Kovalyk, and children, Clara Kovalyk of St. Clairsville, Wheeling police PFC Robert Kovalyk of Shadyside, and Michael Kovalyk of Bellaire.

Family and friends will be received at the Bauknecht-Altmeyer Funeral Home, 441 37th Street, Bellaire, Ohio on Wednesday, April 5, 2023 from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Funeral Services will be held Thursday, April 6, 2023 at the Greek Orthodox Church Life Giving Fountain in Martins Ferry, Ohio at 11 a.m. with Fr. Constantine Makrinos as celebrant. Interment to follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, West Virginia.

The family asks that memorial contributions be made to the church or to the Belmont County K-9 Unit by going to TMCFunding.com.