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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of Steven Bela Szigethy, M.D. of Oblong,
4who passed away on January 5, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy was born in Repcelak, Komitat Vas,
6Hungary on September 15, 1932; after completing four years of
7elementary school in Repcelak in 1942, he was accepted to the
8Faludi Ferenc Gymnasium, a preparatory school, in Szombathely,
9where he graduated in 1951; and
 
10    WHEREAS, For family and political reasons, Dr. Szigethy
11could not participate in university studies and therefore took
12a position as a lathe operator trainee at the Wilhelm Pieck
13Rail Car and Engineering Factory in Gyor, Hungary; after nine
14months of apprenticeship, he took the craftsman test on August
151, 1952; after three months of work as a lathe operator, he was
16made a section leader; in March of 1953, he was conscripted
17into the Hungarian People's Army and served until April 1955;
18upon completion of his military service, he returned to the
19factory in Gyor, where he worked until November of 1956; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy fled Hungary during the Hungarian
21Revolution/Uprising of 1956; he arrived in Canada in the
22Spring of 1957 and, despite only speaking German and

 

 

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1Hungarian, was able to find a job working for the Canadian
2Pacific Railways in Saskatchewan; in his free time, he learned
3how to speak English by watching Hollywood films and by
4referring to an Introduction to English textbook; and
 
5    WHEREAS, After several years, Dr. Szigethy decided it was
6time to pursue his ultimate goal of becoming a medical doctor;
7he was accepted to study medicine at the University of Vienna
8in 1965; he worked hard and graduated with his degree in 1973;
9shortly after graduation, he moved from Austria to New York
10City, where he met his wife, Maria Rodriguez; she was also an
11immigrant, as she was born and raised in Colombia; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy and his family moved to Blue Island
13before moving to Oblong in 1979; he operated his own clinics in
14both Oblong and Newton and also had hospital rights at
15Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Even after all the difficulties he endured after
17leaving Hungary, Dr. Szigethy was determined to pursue a
18medical career in the United States; he was not just an
19ordinary man but a true public servant; he tirelessly served
20the communities of Oblong and Newton for nearly four decades
21as a physician; patients often heard the words "no charge",
22especially if the patient could not afford services; and if a
23patient could not afford the ambulance ride to the hospital,

 

 

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1he might take them himself at "no charge"; he was a diplomate
2of the American Board of Family Practice; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy was a deeply caring and
4compassionate physician with a smile that warmed the hearts of
5all who knew him; he enjoyed listening to classical music,
6reading books, watching movies, woodworking, and traveling;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, At the time of his death, Dr. Szigethy was
9survived by his wife, Maria; his children, Xavier, Ilona,
10Carolyn, and Stephen Alexander and their spouses, Melanie,
11Alex, Mike, and Kristen; he was also the proud grandfather of
12Xavier, Sofia, Delfina, John, Oliver, Natalie, Noah, Hannah,
13and Carly; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
15ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
16Steven Bela Szigethy, M.D. and extend our sincere condolences
17to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be
18it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Dr. Szigethy as an expression of our
21deepest sympathy.