Calvin Synod Herald, 1996 (96. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)
1996-01-01 / 1. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Marianne Köteles 1 920-1 995 CLEVELAND STARTED ITS 200th IN A BIG WAY: Disney World Slid Ci+y Info 1996 As the New Year arrived, "the fanfare for Cleveland" went on the air. Cleveland began the all year long Bicentennial Celebration with a big bang - with the largest side-show spectacular in history - 31 stories high between the 5th and 36th floors of the Terminal Tower building on Public Square. At the stroke of midnight Auld Lang Syne was played as the huge number 200 appeared in digits 400 feet high. The incredibly diverse city started the Bicentennial with a real blow out for a year-long birthday celebration on the shores of Lake Erie. As soon as the first permanent settlement took place under Moses Cleveland in 1796, all great immigrations brought new blood to the City in successive waves, creating a splendid mosaic of all different nationalities. Each new wave built a different village. One hundred and five years ago, the magyars entered Cleveland, building two separate villages on the East side and on the West side. All Hungarian first churches of all denominations were built here and all first Magyar organizations started in this City. The first wave of large immigration from Hungary of the 1890's was followed by the largest numbers of all successive historical waves first into this Lake Erie City. Cleveland rightfully was dubbed the "Magyar Debrecen" in America. Recently, Cleveland adopted Miskolc as a sister-city in Hungary. "Nobles Obligé" - Since all Hungarian firsts in America started from Cleveland, the Cleveland magyars will have to act nobly and perform noble acts in this Bicentennial Year, no matter how difficult the endeavor may be for the loyal magyars in such a far-away land! Cleveland's 200th year will have to be a true and real "TE DEUM CELEBRATION YEAR" for all Hungarians - here and everywhere! Mrs. Köteles, 75, of Brecksville, died of heart disease December 23, 1995. She was active throughout her life in Hungarian functions in Greater Cleveland. She entertained many visitors at her home, often under a large tent in her spacious yard. Members of the Cleveland Magyar Club and touring artists were among the family's guests. Marianne C. Köteles and her husband, William, founded the Independence company that manufactured an oxygenator used in the first open heart surgery at St. Vincent Charity Hospital in 1956. Surgeons from all over the world came to observe heart surgeons Earl Kay and Fred Cross during the pioneering operations. They also visited the Köteles' Pemco Plant, where the Kay Cross oxygenator was manufactured. Mrs. Köteles met her husband at a wedding on Feb. 14, 1944, and they always celebrated their anniversary on Valentine's Day. His spacious country-home in Broadview Heights, a perfect replica of a Magyar Kúria, has been the most gracious hosting "Bonneville" to all Hungarian visiting dignitaries and community leaders for well over a half century. The PEMCO heart-lung units made the name known worldwide. A dozen of them are operating in Hungary, all produced by his PEMCO- some even donated by him as an outright gift. Services were held at the Brecksville Methodist Church on December 27,1995. She is survived by her husband, William Köteles, our own Hungarian Man of the Year 1990, and President of the Magyar Club of Cleveland in the years 1973-74, and a continuing eternal Board Member who has the honor of having a Heart Surgery Operating Room named after him at the Medical Department of the Debrecen University in Hungary. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Köteles is survived by daughters Virginia Keltner, Kathleen Köteles, and son William; four grandchildren and a sister, all of Brecksville. Her internment was held at Crown Hill Memorial Park. After the funeral, a very touching "halotti Tor" was held at the seclusive inside room of the Independence Holiday Inn. The memorial prayer was offered by our publication's editor. Dr. Stephen Szabó made a special characterization of Marianne Köteles by calling her "The Magyar Ruth". One who was born into another nationality, but through her marriage to Bill, indeed materialized the saying of the Biblical Ruth. "Your people will be my people;" "Servant of God! Well done! Rest from your loved employ! You entered now into your Master's Joy!" AMERIKAI MAGYAR REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA r > Bishop Kálmán Csiha's: "T^e Ligijt Tyromk tf;e Bars"-The English version of Transylvanian bishop Kálmán Csiha's book "The Light Through the Bars is off the press. It is the story of te Bishop's six-and-a-half years of imprisonment by the former Romanian Communist regime. It is a unique publication, with 38 immortal poems. The 166-page book is selling for $8.00 + s/h. Quantity discounts are available. There is no greater gift at the present on the book market. □□□ Kálmán Csiha was born on the 17th day of September in the year 1929 at Érsemjén. He had his schooling years in Érmihályfalva, Sárospatak, Debrecen, Zilah section. In 1949, his parents were forced by the Communist State to live in banishment. He had to finish his theological studies at Kolozsvár (Cluj) and was ordained in 1954. He started his ministry at Arad as assistant pastor. He himself organized the Arad- Gáj self-supporting congregation and became pastor of the new church. He married Rev. Emese Nagy, assistant minister. At the end of 1957, he was arrested by the Securitate for not volunteering a so-called criminal report on one of his colleagues. He was sentenced to a ten year prison term in high security incarceration. After a sixand-a-half year term behind bars, he was released by general amnesty in 1964. He spent his prison years at prisons and hardlabor camps in the ill-fated places of Cluj (Kolozsvár), Marosvásárhely, Számosújvár, Jilava, Periprava, Lucia-Giurgeni, Salacea and Galac. He was not even allowed to have any communication with his family during the entire term of his incarceration. The first time he was able to see his daughter, who was born while he was behind bars, was when she was already six years old. After being set at liberty, he served as pastor first at Gágán-Váralja, then at Marosvásárhely for 20 years. He received his Theological Doctorate in Pastoral Theology in 1975 at Kolozsvár (Cluj). He organized five self-sufficient congregations. On May 4, 1990, after the great change in Romania, he was elected and ordained as ruling bishop of the Transylvanian Synod. Bishop Csiha is serving now also as ministerial president of the new World Conventus of the Hungarian Reformed Churches.
