Joseph Kalocsay

Arrangements: Visitation and Rosary at 10 am Thursday, Aug 25th, immediately followed by a funeral mass at 11 am at St. Anthony’s Parish in Renton.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers please make a donation to Mt Rainier National Park or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Joseph Kalocsay was born Nov 25th, 1920 in Vrutky, Slovakia. He and his brother, Tibor, escaped communist Czechoslovakia after the Soviets took over following WWII. By the early 1950s they had finally made their way to the United States via Austria and West Germany. Joseph initially lived in Miami but soon moved to Cleveland where he met the beautiful love of his life, Carmen Matilde Hernandez. They married on Aug 31st, 1957.

Joseph, Carmen and their new daughter, Susan, moved to Kent after Joseph was hired by Boeing as an engineer. He helped design the 707, 727, 737 and the 757. He held several patents and even contributed to the Saturn V Rocket during the space race in the 1960s. Joe retired from Boeing in the 1986.

As their family continued to grow with the addition of two more daughters, Isabel (Izzy) and Tatyana (Tanya) they moved to Renton where Joe and Carmen lived until just before his death.

Joseph lived a very active, eventful life. If he wasn’t sailing, skiing, climbing mountains or telling stories about his mischievous youth patrolling the waters of the river Vah with his brother, then he was singing in the choir or attending Mass at St Anthony’s church.

Joseph was an amazing, honorable, and devout man who cared deeply about his faith, his family and his surroundings. He will be missed by all, but never forgotten!

Though predeceased by his brother, Tibor, his son, Joseph Thomas, and granddaughter Julia Kalnasy, many remain to tell his stories, sing his songs, and carry on his traditions: his loving, devoted wife of 59 years, Carmen Kalocsay, his daughters and sons-in-law Sue and John Kalnasy, Izzy and Mark Boyd, and Tanya and Roger Johnson. His grandchildren are Rebecca, Sierra, Mara, Mackenzie, Alex and Jenna and grandson-in-law Scott Pullman.