SR1290 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1290 LRB102 29650 MST 41688 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Steven Bela Szigethy, M.D. of Oblong, who passed away on January 5, 2020; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy was born in Repcelak, Komitat Vas, Hungary on September 15, 1932; after completing four years of elementary school in Repcelak in 1942, he was accepted to the Faludi Ferenc Gymnasium, a preparatory school, in Szombathely, where he graduated in 1951; and

WHEREAS, For family and political reasons, Dr. Szigethy could not participate in university studies and therefore took a position as a lathe operator trainee at the Wilhelm Pieck Rail Car and Engineering Factory in Gyor, Hungary; after nine months of apprenticeship, he took the craftsman test on August 1, 1952; after three months of work as a lathe operator, he was made a section leader; in March of 1953, he was conscripted into the Hungarian People's Army and served until April 1955; upon completion of his military service, he returned to the factory in Gyor, where he worked until November of 1956; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy fled Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution/Uprising of 1956; he arrived in Canada in the Spring of 1957 and, despite only speaking German and Hungarian, was able to find a job working for the Canadian Pacific Railways in Saskatchewan; in his free time, he learned how to speak English by watching Hollywood films and by referring to an Introduction to English textbook; and

WHEREAS, After several years, Dr. Szigethy decided it was time to pursue his ultimate goal of becoming a medical doctor; he was accepted to study medicine at the University of Vienna in 1965; he worked hard and graduated with his degree in 1973; shortly after graduation, he moved from Austria to New York City, where he met his wife, Maria Rodriguez; she was also an immigrant, as she was born and raised in Colombia; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy and his family moved to Blue Island before moving to Oblong in 1979; he operated his own clinics in both Oblong and Newton and also had hospital rights at Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson; and

WHEREAS, Even after all the difficulties he endured after leaving Hungary, Dr. Szigethy was determined to pursue a medical career in the United States; he was not just an ordinary man but a true public servant; he tirelessly served the communities of Oblong and Newton for nearly four decades as a physician; patients often heard the words "no charge", especially if the patient could not afford services; and if a patient could not afford the ambulance ride to the hospital, he might take them himself at "no charge"; he was a diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Szigethy was a deeply caring and compassionate physician with a smile that warmed the hearts of all who knew him; he enjoyed listening to classical music, reading books, watching movies, woodworking, and traveling; and

WHEREAS, At the time of his death, Dr. Szigethy was survived by his wife, Maria; his children, Xavier, Ilona, Carolyn, and Stephen Alexander and their spouses, Melanie, Alex, Mike, and Kristen; he was also the proud grandfather of Xavier, Sofia, Delfina, John, Oliver, Natalie, Noah, Hannah, and Carly; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Steven Bela Szigethy, M.D. and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Dr. Szigethy as an expression of our deepest sympathy.