Thank you for all being here to share in the celebration of our father’s life, and to mourn his passing.
Where to begin? Our father, or Papa, as we called him, was a sensitive, loving father. He always wanted the best for us, and from early on, he made sure that we had all possible comforts. Growing up, we had games and fun, books and stories. Who needed a garage in the backyard when you could have a giant sandbox instead? He built us swing sets, playgrounds in the backyard, and even furniture. There was nothing he couldn’t imagine, build or fix, and we admired him for that.
He had a great love for classical music, and we fondly remember him sitting at the dinner table, air-conducting one of his favourite concertos or overtures. There was always music in the house, and he had fine-tuned his ear to be able to recognize artists and arias from the very first notes. He particularly enjoyed attending live performances where he would soak in the sounds and scenes of his first musical love, opera.
He encouraged us to develop our interests and was supportive of our endeavours. He loved gadgets and tools, and made sure that we were well-prepared for any adventure, whether it be in the kitchen or in the car. If I wanted to go camping or travelling, he got me equipment to make the journey more pleasant. When I was having difficulties in the lab, he would offer advice, and even built a tool that came in very handy. I’m sure this does not surprise anyone.
His insights and wisdom helped pave our journey through life. He had a strong work ethic, with a fine attention to detail. He lived by the quote from József Attila’s poem “Ne légy szeles”: “Dolgozni csak pontosan, szépen, ahogy a csillag megy az égen, úgy lehet”. This loosely translates to: “It’s only worth doing one’s work precisely, and neatly, as a star moves across the sky”.
My father instilled in us a strong sense of respect and consideration for others. He and my mother modelled this every day with the love and care they showed each other, and to us children. It was the little things they did for each other—a helping hand here, a kind word or gesture there, a quick phone call to check in, or a small, pleasant surprise. He would go out of his way to help you, leaving no stone unturned. I can truly say we were blessed to have him as our Dad, and we are going to miss him dearly.
May he rest in peace, knowing that his spirit lives on forever.
