John Nagy Mr.

It is with great sadness we have had to say goodbye to our husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. A very strong and proud man, with a presence and stature that filled a room.

Devoted to his wife of 65 years, and his beloved home, dad spent his retirement surrounded by his fruit trees ,bees and garden. Dad immigrated to Canada in 1956, amidst the Hungarian Revolution against the Russian invasion of his home country. Bravely crossing to North America on a cruise ship from Austria to Nova Scotia then via train across Canada, he was in barracks in James Bay with his fellow refugees and was warmly embraced by the people and culture of Victoria.

Unable to speak the language he connected with fellow Hungarian refugees and for the first while he picked potatoes for 10 cents a day on the saanich peninsula. His passion/skill was in carpentry and he was soon able to work in his trade , and eventually became a contractor of his own company John Nagy Construction. Dad renovated and built many homes over his 45 year career, and encouraged everyone to work in the trades. Dad met mom in Victoria and on there first movie date at the Odeon Theatre he bought a ticket for a draw for a car and won! To him this was destiny, he sold his motorcycle and proudly married his date soon after and drove the guests to and from the wedding in his 1957 Ford Fairlane.

Dad loved being social and was a big participant in the Victoria Hungarian Cultural Society. He loved his fellow members and as the years passed and he retired they became so much more than friends , they were his family, he looked forward to every event and especially the dancing.

Dad is survived by , his wife Maria, daughters, Susan ,(Murray)and Anita(Mark), Grandchildren:Thomas, Ellise, Taylor, John and Michael. Great grandchildren: Ella, Owen, Evelyn, Noah, Lyla and Max His sister in Budapest and nieces and nephews in Hungary and his nephews in Calgary.

We are celebrating dads life Monday May 1st at 2p.m. At First Memorial Funeral Chapel Falaise drive .