Calvin Synod Herald, 1974 (74. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1974-10-01 / 10-11. szám
REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 5 REV. JOSEPH MARSALKO, 1915-1974 The Reverend Joseph Marsalko, pastor of the Evangelical and Reformed Church—United Church of Christ of Wallingford, Conn., died on August 31, 1974 in the World War II Veterans Memorial Hospital, Meriden, Conn. He was 58. Bom in Szalonna, Borsod County, Hungary, on September 6, 1915, Rev. Marsalko was educated in his native Hungary: at Sárospatak he received his B.A. degree, at the Theological Faculty of Debrecen he graduated with a B.D. degree and as a post-graduate student, he spent two years at the Martin Luther University of Halle, Germany. Serving in several congregations (Nyírtura, Geszteréd, Komádi) as an assistant pastor, he spent three years in Debrecen and almost five years in Berekböszörmény where he met his future wife, the daughter of his principal, Emma Balogh. They were married on September 14, 1943. These were war years and the Marsalkos had their share in the trials and difficulties of those days. A drastic change took place in their lives in 1948 when Rev. Marsalko was called to the pastorate of Pocahontas, Va. Joining his mother who lived in Passaic, N. J., the Marsalkos arrived in the United States in March, 1948. When they arrived at Pocahontas, Va., there was only one congregation to serve. When he left in 1951, he had three—the result of traveling and visiting among the people in the hard-to-reach regions of West Virginia coal country where no other minister was available. In 1951, Rev. Marsalko became the pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Columbus, Ohio, where he served for ten years. Just as in Pocahontas, Rev. Marsalko introduced bi-lingual services in Columbus, too. Participating in a state-wide lecture tour, he was selected in 1956 as one of the city’s top ten men. He also attended Ohio State University in Columbus. The Wallingford congregation called him in 1961. During his pastorate of 13 years, the congregation built a new church edifice and dedicated it on January 30, 1966. Rev. Marsalko considered this achievement as one of his most rewarding accomplishments. He also organized a church in Hartford, Conn. The talents and abilities of Rev. Marsalko were recognized and claimed by the larger ecclesiastical communities as well. In the Lake Side Classis he served as secretary, and in the Eastern Classis both secretary and treasurer. The Calvin Synod, conference of the United Church of Christ, had no other person who served in longer continuous offices than Rev. Marsalko. From 1963 to 1967 he served as General Secretary of the Synod, from 1967 to 1971 as treasurer, and from 1971 to his untimely death, he was again the General Secretary of the Synod. Rev. Marsalko is survived by his wife and several nieces and nephews. But beyond the immediate family, Rev. Marsalko leaves behind a grateful congregation and a large group of friends all across the land who consider him a choice person, a dedicated Christian, and an able leader of the Hungarian-American community of the United States. Funeral services were held on September 5, Thursday, at 11 a.m. in the Ev. and Ref. Church, 107 South Cherry Street, Wallingford, Conn. Among the participant clergy were the Rt. Rev. A.L. Beretz, Bishop of the Synod, the Rt. Rev. Dr. S. M. Böszörményi of Bridgeport, the Rt. Rev. Dr. J. Butosi of South Norwalk, Conn., Dean F. Vitéz of Perth Amboy, N. J., Rev. J. Kecskemethy of Portland, Maine, and Rev. Z. Király of Passaic, N. J. Dr. John Butosi * A WORD OF FAREWELL (Delivered by Bishop Arpad L. Beretz at the funeral of the Reverend Joseph Marsalko on September 5, 1974 in Wallingford, Connecticut.) “Abraham trusted God, and when God told him to leave home and go to another land which He promised to give him, Abraham obeyed. Away he went, not even knowing where he was going. And even when he reached God’s promised land, he lived in tents like a mere visitor, as did Isaac and Jacob to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently waiting for God to bring him to that strong heavenly city whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10 The Living Bible.) Dearly Beloved in Our Lord Jesus Christ: In the midst of a deep sorrow and a profound loss, I cannot suppress within my soul a feeling of great joy and triumph. Joy that a Christian life has been fulfilled, that a Christian has reached God’s promised heavenly city whose designer and builder is God. Triumph, because death, the arch-enemy of man, has been vanquished and defeated. The Reverend Joseph Marsallo, both in life and in death, witnessed and proclaimed this joy and triumph. His Christian faith and hope never faltered. When
