Obituary of Victor Blaine Horvath

Victor Blaine Horvath of Alma Michigan passed away peacefully at the age of 86 on April 6, 2025 at 3:17 PM surrounded by family and friends.  Vic was born September 8, 1938 in Gladwin, MI to the late Ernest Horvath and Lela (Helrigle) Demlow.  His father passed away in 1943 from a duck hunting accident on Lake St. Clair and his mother remarried Theodore (Ted) Demlow who helped raise Vic.  

Vic attended St. Louis High School before leaving to join the U. S. Navy.  He served from 1957-1961 and travelled the Pacific while mainly being stationed out of Pearl Harbor.  He was an accomplished boxer on his Destroyer Escort during his service.  Soon after the Navy, he returned home and started working at the Leonard Refinery in Alma which eventually became Total Petroleum.  Vic married Wanda (Kay) Willett on August 28, 1965 in Muskegon, MI and they had two children; Wade Curtiss and Jana Janine.  Vic worked at the refinery and then Total Pipeline from 1961 until it was closed down in 1999.  

Vic was an avid hunter and fisherman and passed that love down to his children and grandsons.  He also loved to dance and frequented the singles dance scene in greater Central Michigan where he was popular with the ladies.   Grandpa Horvath was adored by all his grandchildren and he had a special bond with his special needs granddaughter Rachel who loved to sit on his lap and interact with him.

Vic enjoyed his routine of frequenting local dining establishments (Petticoat Junction, River Rock, the Elks Lodge, etc.) with his buddies to discuss politics, the weather, and Detroit and Michigan sports teams.  He was a lifelong Democrat who would get “fired up” if you talked politics with him.

Vic is survived by his son, Wade Horvath; daughter, Jana (Boo) VanScoik; grandchildren, Galen, Eric, Mark, and Rachel Horvath; and a great-grandson, Mason Horvath who was born 6 days before Vic passed away.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Vic on September 6, 2025, from 2-5pm, at the Elks Lodge, 610 Warwick Dr., Alma, MI 48801.

To sign online guestbook, visit www.cremationsocietymidmi.com  Arrangements made with the Cremation Society of Mid Michigan.