Eva Nemeth Molnar

Eva Molnar Life Tribute Eva Molnar passed away at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington the early hours of May 27th, Memorial Day 2024 surrounded by her family. Born in the small town of Papa, Hungary in 1935, Eva lived the American dream. After her father Josef was lost to WWII, she was raised by a loving single mother Irmus Nemeth. Growing up she enjoyed a tight knit relationship that would last a lifetime with her older sister Magdus, younger sister Erzsi, and her older brother Ernie. She made the biggest decision of her life at the young age of 21. Hungary was embroiled in a revolution and her motorcycle-racing rebel boyfriend Zoli was on the wrong side of the communist regime and had to leave the country. He asked Eva to join him. They were just dating, imagine the emotions. She knew if she left she wouldn’t see the family she loved for a long time, and indeed that was the case. Zoli and Eva made a dangerous journey on foot from Hungary to Austria, partly by luck and partly by the support of strangers assisting them on their journey. With nothing more than the clothes on their backs, they ended up in Germany, landing on their feet, again due to the help of strangers. They married shortly thereafter in Mainz, Germany. They both found menial jobs and eventually recognized that Germany wasn’t big enough for their ambitions. In Germany, they would always be foreigners. They were in touch with friends that had landed in the U.S. and heard stories about the opportunities presented there, you just needed to work hard. They decided to make the move to the U.S. in 1961. They worked various odd jobs until they were able to scrape enough money together to start a restaurant called The Little Europe, in Falls Church, Virginia. Working six days a week, they made the restaurant a big success, running it for over twenty years. Eva was a working mom before it was fashionable. And she worked. She was physically strong up until her passing, likely the result of her award winning gymnast years. While Zoli was entertaining the guests, she was carrying the kegs from the kitchen to the bar. She would work six days a week, and her reward was cooking and cleaning for a group of friends on Sundays because Zoli enjoyed big gatherings with friends. She never lost sight of her roots and that was evidenced by her dinner parties. She would put together extravagant Hungarian meals of paprikas or goulash, served on white linens and herend plates. This continued after the passing of Zoli. She was always dressed immaculately. She would roll her eyes at her kids if they weren’t in appropriate attire for dinners, flights, church, or work. Eva was blunt, fiercely loyal, and always garnered attention. You knew exactly where you stood with her. When she lost Zoli in 1986, she raised her two sons Tom and Yancy and took care of her mother-in-law Monica, whom she cared for until her passing in 2001. She refused to date, let alone re-marry, out of devotion to Zoli and concern about how her kids would respond. Eva engaged strangers and friends the same. The day following her birthday in 2001, she was on her way home to Washington from Hungary when the Twin Towers were struck. Her plane was diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. By the end of the week, the whole town knew Eva. Eva is survived by her two sons, their wives Jeanette and Norah, and her grandchildren Zoli, Hayley, Bryce and Monica. They are fortunate for the decision she made at 21, which changed their fates beyond their comprehension. . A graveside service for Eva will be held Friday, June 7, 2024, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, 3411 Arlington Boulevard • Arlington, VA 22201