Fraternity-Testvériség, 1984 (62. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1984-04-01 / 2. szám
FRATERNITY Page 11 THE RT. REV. DR.FRANCIS ÚJLAKI, OLDEST PASTOR OF THE HUNGARIAN PROTESTANT CLERGY IN AMERICA, DIED The painful news throughout all America, where Hungarians and their descents live, and even in Hungary, was received with the deepest sorrow: Francis Újlaki died in Louisville, Kentucky on January 31, 1984, just two weeks prior to his 94th birthday. The greatest tree in the forest of all Hungarians in America had fallen. His life was an immeasurable blessing to all Hungarians in the U.S. and his memory will be forever cherished. Francis Újlaki was born in Ungvar, Hungary on February 13, 1890. He finished all his schooling in one of the oldest Academies of Europe, at Sárospatak, Hungary. (One of the first schools established in Hungary right after the Reformation.) There he was ordained as a minister of the Reformed Church of Hungary. At the request of the Hungarian Reformed churches in the U.S.A. he was sent to America by the Mother Church to serve among our people here. He came to Cleveland, Ohio in 1913 and began his service at the First Hungarian Reformed Church (the first and oldest Hungarian church established in America), as assistant pastor to Dr. Alexander Toth. After that he served as pastor in congregations in Ohio, in Fairport Harbor, Conneaut churches from 1915 till 1922; in Lorain from 1922 till 1928; in Toledo from 1929 till 1944. In 1944 he was elected to be full time president of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America in Washington, D.C. He served as national president in Washington through five 4 year terms in the Nation’s Capitol with tremendous distinction. After his retirement he moved to Pompano Beach, Florida where he lived till the end of his life. He never stopped preaching in Florida churches and at special occasions in most of Hungarian Reformed churches throughout the Nation. For his distinguished service he was honored by Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania which conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. One of his greatest humanitarian accomplishments was to take a planeload of badly needed penicillin, a gift of the Hungarian Reformed Federation and our churches, to Hungary at the end of the war. The crown of his life was the national celebration organized for him by the Federation, the national Ministerial Association and our churches in Toledo, Ohio on May 18, 1965 which honored him at his fiftieth anniversary in the ministry. That celebration brought him even international honors. The Kentucky State legislation also honored him by giving him the title of “Kentucky Colonel.” His wife, Julia Rúzsa, died in 1947 in Washington, D.C. One of his daughters, Margaret (Mrs. Stephen Szabó) died in 1967 in Cleveland, Ohio. His second wife, the former Mrs. George Kováchy, died in 1981. He is survived by daughters: Lillian, Mrs. Paul Lowell in Pontiac, Michigan and Magdalene, Mrs. Art Bodnar in Louisville, Kentucky: by grandchildren: Lynda and Pam Powell; Sharon and Kimberly Bodnar; Dr. Stephen F. Szabó (Washington, D.C.) and Fred S. Szabó (Cleveland, Ohio) and 3 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by members of the Kovachy family: Edward Kovachy, George Kovachy (Cleveland, Ohio) and Mrs. David Drummond (Chicago, 111.), also by Mrs. Alex Fried (Cleveland, Ohio). Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Szabó THE SPIRIT OF HUNGARY ABOUT THE BOOK THE SPIRIT OF HUNGARY - A Panorama of Hungarian History and Culture — in English Author: Stephen Sisa Dedication: Pauline McGibbon, former Lt. Governor of the Province of Ontario Size: 8-1/2 x 11” Book design: Prof. Imre J. J. Koroknay ISBN 0-9195 45-02 5 CONTENTS Part I — The Shaping of Historic Hungary. Part II — Glory, Greatness and Decline. Part III — The Turkish Era. Part IV — Struggle and Compromise with the Habs- burgs. Part V — A Nation without Boundaries. Part VI — Panorama of Hungarian Culture. ORDER FORM In Canada: Rákóczy Foundation, P. O. Box 67, Stn. “1”, Toronto, Ont. M6E 4Y4 In USA: Rákóczy Foundation, P. O. Box 2727, Cleveland, OH 44111 Price: $25.00 Handling and postage: $2.00. Name: ............................................................................ Address:......................................................................... Please send..........books at $25.00 + $2.00 each. Check or Money order enclosed. $.........................
