To all friends and family, near and far,
It is with deep devastation I am letting you all know that my sweet mother, Etelka Juhasz, passed away last evening. She was 69 years old. As many of you know, on her birthday, almost 4 years ago, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and began her immediate battle with this horrendous disease. She fought very hard to stay here with us with everything she had but it recently became painfully clear that this battle of hers was no longer a fightable one.
Her 69 year journey here on earth was nothing short of incredible. Born and raised in a small and poor village in communist Romania, my mom always shared wonderful memories of a childhood she loved. She met the love of her life in her late teens, married and had two children, Tibor and I, soon after. In her early 30’s, she left behind everything she knew and loved, in search of freedom and a better life for all of us. She landed in Austria with my brother and I and the clothes on our backs, where she reunited with my father, who had escaped a year earlier.
These were tough years but on top of the world years. After living in a refugee camp for over a year, she continued her voyage with our little family to the United States. She was working full time within weeks, learned her 5th language, learned to drive a car, and was off to a new life she had dreamed of for her loves.
She was so many beautiful things to all of us. She was a strong, compassionate, beautiful, unique, and an ambitious woman. This wonderful lady lived and loved for us every single day. After putting my brother and I through college, this powerhouse nurturer continued to always provide us with the most wonderful and safe home base and foundation one could ever imagine, and had our backs consistently. And just when one would think it impossible, this lady’s heart grew even bigger when her biggest joys in life, her grand beauties, came into the world. First Dylan, then Holden, then Karli and then Travis. Her heart was bursting with love for them every single day. Just like that, her life seemed to begin all over again with her new and most favorite title of all, Mama. I am so grateful for the beautiful memories her grand babies have of her which their hearts will hold forever.
In recent months, her decline became stunningly rapid and severe. Even on her worst days, being the endless warrior, she was teaching my dad to cook, clean, iron, all in hopes that the mate of her soul would not have to be lost without her someday. But he is lost without her, we all are, forever. She was our family and our heart for many wonderful and unforgettable years. The world was so much brighter with her in it.
Thank you for taking sweet wonderful care of all of us, always, Mama.❤️
We will honor her wishes and hold services privately.