Joseph Bekefi

Joseph Bekefi, 79 years old, died after a short illness at Chilton Memorial Hospital, Pequannock Twp., N.J., on Monday, Sept. 22, 2014. Born to Karoly and Gizella Bekefi in Csesznek, Hungary, he came to the United States in 1956 settling in Passaic, N.J. He then lived in Garfield, N.J. before moving to Glenwood, N.J., 28 years ago.

Joseph worked as a carpenter at a young age then at 18 he worked as a coal miner in Dudar, Hungary, and then emigrated during the Hungarian Revolution from Hungary to the United States by boat in 1956, landing at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey and then settling in Passaic, N.J. He worked as a carpenter for many years for the Northern New Jersey Carpenters Union Local 620 in Edison, N.J., retiring in 1996. Joseph served as a past president and member of the American Hungarian Citizens League of Garfield and was a parishioner of St. Stephens RC Church, Passaic, N.J., and St. Francis deSales RC Church, Vernon Twp., N.J. He was a doting grandfather and sports enthusiast especially for the New York Rangers and loved vegetable gardening.

Joseph was predeceased by his son, John Bekefi (2011) and several brothers and sisters, Gizella Tillinger, Karoly Bekefi, Terez Maradics, Antal Bekefi and Maria Polgar and was the beloved husband of Ilona Bekefi(nee Varga) of Glenwood, N.J. Devoted father of Terez Bekefi and her husband, Arpad Takacs of Lincoln Park, N.J., Joseph Bekefi and his wife, Lorraine of Wayne, N.J. and Laszlo Bekefi of Glenwood, N.J. Loving grandfather of Nicole, John, Jesse, Andrew and Christopher. Dear brother of Ilona Gaal. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive their friends at Ferguson-Vernon Funeral Home, 241 Route 94(1 Vanderhoof Court for GPS), Vernon, NJ on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014 from 7-9 p.m. Funeral from the funeral home on Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 at 9 a.m. Funeral Mass at St. Francis deSales RC Church, Vernon, NJ at 10 a.m. Cremation will be private. Memorial gifts to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312 would be appreciated. Information and condolences can be found at www.fergusonvernonfuneralhome.com.