Dennis Gabor Buki

Dennis — known as “Dini” by his parents and siblings — was born on July 23rd, 1945 in Budapest, Hungary. Growing up under the Iron Curtain, he lived through significant historical events such as the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and the reign of the “Magic Magyars”, Hungary’s world-famous national soccer team.

Dennis’s family faced significant obstacles due to the political environment in Hungary. His father, a successful attorney, was forced to quit his practice due to his refusal to join the Soviet-backed Communist Party. Dennis was denied entry to his preferred university for the same reason, despite having achieved a strong academic record. His disillusionment with his circumstances grew stronger after he was drafted into the Hungarian military. There he witnessed a close friend dragged from his bed in the middle of the night and jailed, supposedly for revealing the location of their unit to his parents in a letter.

Impelled by his experiences and the desire to freely shape his future, Dennis made the brave decision to escape his home country. Together with a close friend, Dennis obtained travel documents that allowed them as far as Yugoslavia, where they planned to covertly cross over into Italy. After meticulous research and one disastrous crossing attempt that left them lost and soaked by rain, they finally made their run to freedom, which Dennis described as among the happiest moments of his life. His story was reported anonymously from a political refugee camp in Italy in the August 12th, 1967 edition of the Kansas City Star, in an article entitled “Flees Hungary for a New Life”.

In 1968, through a United Nations program for political refugees, Dennis found himself in America, where he obtained a Green card and later American citizenship. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Catholic University and there became a star player on the soccer team. Channeling the talent of the Magic Magyars of his youth, he scored an impressive number of goals and was featured on the cover of the university’s athletics program. He worked odd jobs to put himself through his last two years of college, including a room service gig at the newly constructed Watergate Hotel.

A notable highlight of his undergraduate years was meeting Ann McGarrity, who he married in 1971, shortly after graduating CUA. He then opted to continue his study at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania. Settling with Ann in the Philadelphia area, Dennis became a broadcast engineer WPHL-TV, mixing sound for the broadcasts of professional sports teams such as the Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers. He was fond of describing the anecdotes of famous athletes and broadcasters that he met during this period, ranging from broadcast mishaps and practical jokes to the sometimes questionable antics of the Phillie Phanatic.

Eventually, Dennis felt a new challenge was in order and pursued his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University, which he completed in 1980, followed by a Masters of Laws in Taxation from Temple University.

In 1986, Dennis and Ann celebrated the birth of their daughter Alison, and in 1989, the birth of their son Christopher.

With a new career and family life came a return to the Washington, DC area. Dennis rose to the position of General Counsel at a management consulting firm HayGroup. He was known to take his work seriously, but not himself. He was never above a light-hearted office prank, such as anonymously sending dozens of books on Y2K to an officemate after the turn of the millennium, or blasting a song about America’s exploits in the War of 1812 to rib a British co-worker.

Eventually, Dennis retired from HayGroup. Not one to rest on his laurels, he acted to turn a lifelong passion — investing in the stock market and informally advising friends — into a second career. He became a Certified Financial Planner and created his own practice, successfully navigating clients through turbulent financial times.

Friends remember his wonderful sense of humor, his wise and trusted counsel, and his love for all sports (but especially tennis and Everton Football Club). He always enjoyed a good meal out, a glass of rose or a white wine spritzer, and time with his family and friends. His generosity of spirit impacted all who were fortunate enough to spend time with him, and will not soon be forgotten.

Dennis was preceded in death by his father Dénes Büki and mother Judit Bellusi Büki (née Baross). He is survived by his longtime partner, Deborah Davidson, her daughter Alexandra Adams and Dennis’s two children Alison and Christopher, as well as his former wife Ann. He is also survived by his brother Gábor and his wife Erzsébet in Hungary, as well as their two children Dóra and Máté.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11AM on Saturday, November 6, at Joseph Gawler’s Sons at 5130 Wisconsin Avenue NW.