Magyar Református Egyház

Archive for the ‘Obituary’ Category

Rev. Frank Juhasz Shepherd (on the left) with a group of youth standing in front of the pulpit at our church, the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles.

Dear Friends in Christ,

After 55 years of Christian ministry the Rev. Frank Juhasz Shepherd was taken by our Creator, Redeemer, and Comforter God. Frank was ordained by the Presbyterian Church, he was affiliated with the United Church of Christ, the Western Reserve Association, and our Calvin Synod Conference.

The last years he preached the Gospel at the East Side Hungarian Lutheran Church of Cleveland, OH, and he was always available for pulpit supply in our Cleveland vicinity Hungarian Reformed Churches.

He was a musician, composer, he had education in psychology, and counseling.

In 1956 he was working for the Hungarian Refugee program in California.

Frank’s funeral service will be at the West Side Hungarian Reforned Church of Cleveland, OH at 11:30 am on Friday, July 30, 2010.

In the services of Christ:

Peter L. Toth
Lorain, OH

Read Rt. Rev. Dr. Butosi’s testimony “From Folk Religion to Christian Faith”

SHELTON (07/13/2010) — The Rev. Dr. John Butosi, pastor emeritus of the United Church of Christ of Bridgeport and bishop emeritus of the UCC’s Calvin Synod, died on July 12, 2010. He was 90.

Born on Dec. 18, 1919, in Nyírgyulaj, Hungary, to the late Michael and Elizabeth Becsei Butosi, he received his bachelor of arts degree from the Hungarian Royal Kossuth State Realgimnazium of Cegled in 1939. He began studying theology at the Tisza Istvan University in Debrecen, but was ordered into the Hungarian army when World War II erupted in Europe.

Somehow, he managed to complete his bachelor of divinity degree in 1943. Following the American liberation and end of the war, he received his master of divinity degree and certificate of ministerial qualification in 1946.

He arrived in America in 1947, studying at both the Austin Presbyterian Seminary in Texas and the Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, from which he received a master of theology degree in 1949. Though he intended to return to his home, he was denied re-entry by the communist Hungarian government, and remained in the United States. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh in the late 1950s.

In 1953, while living in Indiana, he met and married Lorraine Nickel. The couple had two daughters.

Dr. Butosi was later able to return to Hungary in 1989, where he taught and chaired for eight years in the Missiology Department of his alma mater, Debrecen University, which awarded him an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

After serving Hungarian Reformed churches in Hammond, Indiana, and McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Rev. Butosi came to Norwalk, where he was pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Norwalk from 1960 to 1976. He came to the United Church of Christ of Bridgeport in 1976, and served there until his retirement in 1989.

He led the Calvin Synod of the United Church of Christ, a non-geographical conference comprised primarily of Hungarian Reformed congregations, as secretary, deputy bishop, president for four years, bishop for eight years, and bishop emeritus.

In addition to his pastoral service, Rev. Butosi’s leadership was widely sought in the ecumenical community. He was the first president of the Hungarian Reformed World Federation, served on the executive councils of the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches.

Rev. Butosi authored several books, mostly in Hungarian. He contributed the section on the Calvin Synod to Hidden Histories in the United Church of Christ, edited by Barbara Brown Zikmund. His autobiography, Praise the Lord, O My Soul, was published in English in 2007.

He is survived by his daughter, Ann Elizabeth Ballas and her husband, James, of Shelton; his grandchildren, Matthew and Erica Ballas; and several nieces and nephews in Hungary. He was predeceased by his wife, Lorraine; his daughter, Sarah Joan Lynch; his brothers, Steve, Mihaly, and Michael; and sisters, Julie, Elizabeth, and Gisella, all of Hungary.

A service in celebration of Dr. Butosi’s life and ministry will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, July 17, at United Church of Christ of Bridgeport, North and Laurel Avenues in Bridgeport. The Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig, bishop emeritus of the Calvin Synod, will officiate. Calling hours will take place on Friday, July 16, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm in the Lesko and Polke Funeral Home, 1209 Post Rd., in Fairfield.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Church of Christ, 963 Laurel Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604; or to the John Butosi Memorial Mission Fund, c/o Calvin Synod, treasurer, 1836 Timothy Dr., West Mifflin, PA 15122.

Rt. Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig
General Secretary Calvin Synod

Other photos from the life and career of Rt. Rev. John Butosi…

At 5:11 this evening a great man passed from death into life. My father’s 62 years of patient suffering have ended, and he is now beginning his real story. He left behind an enormous legacy measured in the lives of those brothers and sisters in Christ who were touched by his merciful ministry and won by his changeless devotion to the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is a new doorkeeper in the House of Our God tonight.

In celebration,
Izzi Elliott
(Dr. Elliott’s daughter)

Julius Albert Pongracz

Julius “Juice” Pongracz, 77, of Lorain passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 13, 2009 at Community Regional Medical Center surrounded by his family following a year-long battle with renal cancer.

A lifelong resident of Lorain, he was born January 22, 1932, the eighth child of the late Antal and Pricilla (nee Kalassay) Pongracz. He graduated from Clearview High School in 1950 and then served in the U. S. Army where he was stationed in Alaska. Upon completion of his military service, he accepted employment at the Lorain National Tube where he continued to work in many different departments. He retired as an expeditor in the Rolling Mills after thirty-nine years of service.

Julius was a very devoted member of the Lorain Hungarian Reformed Church and served in many leadership roles including General Chairman Emeritus of the church Consistory, President of the Men’s Brotherhood, member of the Sick Benefit Society, Chancel Choir, Koinonia Softball Team and coach of the Men’s Basketball Team and Youth Fellowship Advisor. He also took an active leadership role in the Calvin Synod of the United Church of Christ, serving on many committees and representing the bilingual churches at the National Conferences.

Born of immigrant parents, Julius worked diligently to share his Hungarian culture by participating in the Hungarian Council, the Hungarian American Citizens Club and the Spotlight Nationality Committees when the Hungarian Community was recognized in 1972 and 1999 for the Lorain International Festival. As a result of his participation, he was honored as “Hungarian Man of the Year” at the annual “Nite in Budapest.”

Juice was an active member of the Steelworkers Union 1104 and was proud to serve as the Political Action Chairman for three different presidents. He attended training at Kenyon College and the Ohio State University for labor relations and represented Lorain at many national conventions. He also organized a trip to Washington, D.C. of community leaders, workers, and families for the “Save American Industry & Jobs Day.” For his hard work and dedication, he was named “Man of the Year” by the Lorain County Labor Unions and the Lorain City Democratic Party.

During his retirement years, the job of supportive father and grandfather was his top priority. He took great pride and joy in attending the concerts, scouting events, and sports activities of his daughters and grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of almost fifty-four years, Donna (nee Poirier), daughters Jill Pongracz Murrell, Sheffield Lake, and Susie (Larry) Fortner , Amherst and grandchildren Rebekka and Zach Murrell, Sheffield Lake, Sara Fortner, Arlington, Va., and William (Kelly) Fortner, Amherst, brother Louis (Carol) Pongracz, Elyria, sisters Wilma (Joseph) Deliman, Lorain, Serena (Bennie) Molnar and Helen (Andrew) Dennis, Oberlin, Ohio and many nieces and nephews.

Julius was preceded in death by his parents, Antal and Priscilla Elizabeth Pongracz, and siblings William “Bill” Pongracz, Julia (John) Berki, and Agnes (Edward) Thompson.

The family will receive friends on Monday, August 17, 2009 from 3:00 until 8:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 from 10:00 until11:00 a.m. where he will lie in state in the sanctuary of the Lorain Hungarian Reformed Church, 1691 East 31st Street, Lorain. A prayer service will be conducted by the Rev. Peter Toth at 7:00 p.m. on August 17, 2009 and the funeral services will begin at 11:00 a.m. on August 18, 2009 with internment at the Ridge Hill Memorial Park.

Contributions may be made to the Lorain Hungarian Reformed Church, 1691 East 31st Street, Lorain, Ohio. Arrangements entrusted to the Richard J. Reidy Funeral Home, 1783 East 31st Street, Lorain, Ohio 44054; (440) 277-8164.

Rev. Kálmán Csia was called home to his Lord this past Friday, June 5, at 8:50 pm. His son Kálmán and daughter-in-law Becky were with him at his bedside.

Rev. Csia immigrated from Erdély and served in the Calvin Synod, his last pastorate being the East Chicago, Indiana congregation. He was director of the Bethlen Home Retirement Home, from 1963 to 1978, which became a Nursing Home facility under his supervision.

He retired in 1978 for health reasons. In retirement he was active in the Kalamazoo congregation and was often guest minister there and in other congregations.

Rev. Csia, 98 years of age, cared for his wife following serious health issues that confronted her. She passed away a number of years ago.

The family plans a private funeral for Rev. Csia.

Reported by Rt. Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, Bishop

This is the former Bishop of Debrecen, Elemer Kocsis’s obituary. He was well known among the American Hungarian ministers, he was a well known Systematic Theology professor. He was the uncle of Rev. Attila Kocsis who serves in the United States.

Dr. Kocsis Elemér 1926-ban született Balmazújvárosban, ahol édesapja Kocsis János hitoktató lelkész volt.
1931-ben költöztek Szamoskérre. Középiskolába az akkori Debreceni Református F?gimnáziumba járt, majd a Debreceni Tudományegyetem Hittudományi Karán tanult. Külföldi ösztöndíjasként Baselben folytatott tanulmányokat. 1952-t?l Debrecenben a Teológiai Akadémián tanított. 1977-t?l a Református Kollégium f?igazgatója és a Nagykönyvtár igazgatója volt. A teológiai professzor a Kollégiumot nemcsak a református egyház szemefényének, hanem az egész magyar nép, a nemzeti kultúra nagy kincsének tekintette. 1959-ben a Nürnberg-Erlangeni Egyetemen teológiai doktori diplomát kapott. Több mint 150 tanulmánya jelent meg nyomtatásban vagy sokszorosított tankönyvként, ezek közül több német nyelven.

Dr. Kocsis Elemért 1986. március 14-én szentelték a Tiszántúli Református Egyházkerület püspökévé a Debreceni Nagytemplomban. „Szeretném hálámat kifejezni azoknak, akiknek élete beleépült életembe és szolgálatomba, akiknek áldozatos szeretete egy életen át elkísér és kísérni fog. Hálával emlékszem szüleimre, akik által az életet, a hitet és az emberséget kaptam. Az a tiszta emberség és ?si bölcsesség, amit t?lük kaptam, tanított meg mindig földközelben és emberközelben maradni – mondta székfoglaló beszédében.

Dr. Kocsis Elemér nyolcvanhárom esztend?s volt. Temetése május 18-án, délután három órakor lesz Debrecenben.

ELMER WILLIAM TOTH

Born December 3, 1927, Died September 21, 2008

Son of the late John and Helen (Rubinsak) Toth. Twin Brother of the late John S. Toth, Sr., survived by his beloved wife, Ruth D. (Walochik) Toth, father of Lisa S. Toth-Maskarinec (Mark), Keith S. Toth and Timothy E. Toth (Kimberly), grandfather of Justin T. Toth, step-grandfather of Casey, and step-great-grandfather of Jaiden. Nephew of Elizabeth (Toth) Ardale. Brother-in-law of Gaza and Yolan Katona, Patricia and the late George Walochik and Elaine M. Toth. Survived by several nieces and nephews

Former General Forman of Power, Light and Heat with Mesta Machine Company and employed by the William Penn Fraternal Association where he held various positions of Agent, Director and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Former Officer, Elder and Member of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead. Member of Syria Shrine, Homestead Amity-McCandless Lodge #582, Scottish Rite Consistory Valley of Pittsburgh.

Funeral arrangements by GEORGE I. GREEN FUNERAL HOME, Main Street, Munhall, PA 15120.

Viewing on Tuesday from 2-4 and 6-9 PM with Funeral service at 9:30 from the funeral home and Services at the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead at 10 AM where he was an active member. Masonic Service will be held at 7:30 PM on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Homestead, 517 Brierly Lane, Munhall, PA 15120