Happy New Year 2014, I am new here

[Zsuzsi]

Thank you Magyar Man for your website. I am 3rd generation born, USA. My mothers
side, both her parents, are 1st generation born USA. My great grandparents, of each
my grandmother, my grandfather born in Hungary. Their families to begin living in the US, late
1890s' in two very well known Hungarian cities, Delray and Toledo Ohio. 

My great grandparents, to live in Delray, my grandfathers parents. They lived on Vanderbilt.
Their documented address, 103 Vanderbilt, seems the addresses have changed, 103, I cannot locate.
My great grandfather, Andrew Nagy, unfortunately passed away before I was born. I have never seen a photo of him.
I was able to find his Draft Card on Ancestry dot com. He as he wrote, in his pen, he age 35, filled out Year: 1918
His year of birth: 1883, city not named, born: Hungary, Employer Delray Connecting Railroad

His wife, my great grandma Nagy remained in the Delray area until the early 1970's. She living within the
community was her heart. She not to ever obtain a drivers license, she did not speak English, she relied on her community,
her friends, her neighbors, her walking distance stores. Times were of change, it was time that my Grandpa
made the choice, he had to move her out. I was with him many times to visit. I recall being at her home
in the summer, it to be staggering hot inside the house. My grandpa to do everything in his power to keep
her in comforts, that she allowed. She was very proud. She to say no, to change. He knew that getting her
to leave would be not easy. She not to know any other area but Delray, her found home, she born in Hungary.   

My Great Grandma, Lydia, she to wear her dresses, her apron. Always she had on an apron.
Her hose she knotted above her of her knee. Her cotton pressed, flowered buttoned up dresses,
her sparking blue eyes, her white hair short, with a loose curl. She I was able to get to know, after she was
moved out, out of Delray. I wanted to get to know her, as it was my grandfathers siblings no longer lived
in Michigan. I believe I was her only known grandchild. She passed away when I was near 11, she her exact
age was ? I do remember celebrating her 100th birthday, she must have been 101. She never sick a day,
she passed away, from age, thank you god, no disease, no health issues for her to feel pain. 

Her hands, I can still see, to be of her history growing up in Hungary. Her family, they were fruit farmers.
Her hands strong, covered in sun spots, arthritic, from years of labor. House in Delray, she always HAPPY
to have company. She to open her door, and laugh, she to get tears in her eyes, as I do believe the neighborhood was not
as it was for her in many years. She and my Grandpa to speak, Hungarian, me not to know what they were saying.
My guess is she wanted to feed him, us. Food was her heart to offer, as she would not except funds from my Grandpa.
She to live in poverty upon her husbands pension.

She to have a small sitting room, where she watched her small TV.
On her coffee table, she had in a small glass bowl, " Lemon drops", she to guide me over to the bowl, she to
say, yes yes, you take, she to not wait for me to respond, as she had me alone. She to be so excited, it
was only her and I.  My grandpa off and doing checking the house. She to squeeze me, hug me, kiss me all over
the side of my head. My response was, me to hug her harder, not to let go. She had the most loving spirit, voice.

She always to touch my hair, as my hair was all one length, past my bottom.
She to get all excited, to speak to me, and yet I didn't know what she was saying. 

I found out, what the attraction was of my hair, not through interpretation of my Grandpa no.
Once she was at his house, she to go on her own. She to get a chair, and a hair brush. She to say, Sit, Bay Beh Sit.
She to brush my hair, forever, then she to braid it. She to braid my hair traditional Hungarian. She to brush my
coarse thick hair, and say, over and over, Ó Istenem!...she to bend to look at my face, to see if I was still breathing.
As " True" Hungarian braids are not " for a tender head". She to ask my grandpa for ribbons, she to put them in my hair.
I will never forget when she did braid my hair, she to add the ribbons, I felt like a Hungarian Princess beaming. I was 8 yrs old.

I remember Delray through my Great Grandma, my Grandpa to tell me countless story's of he growing up in Delray, he born 1906.
He was as a young teen, spit and vinegar. My great grandparents were incredibly poor his childhood. They to go without more than
often. He to know he had to pull his weight early in life. He to be a jack of all trades very early, he to make money to give
to the household. He to become very successful as an adult. He was a great man. He was my father in many ways. I to have
my Dad, yes. My Grandpa though, to be of his own background, his own history, he to share graciously with me. 

His teen years, his one guilty pleasure, he to pay his way, Bowling. He loved to Bowl. It had to be a bowling alley,
that was walking distance from the Vanderbilt house.

He to sneak out his window, jump the roof, to ..be walking, whistling, he to stay out all night. He knew he had to be IN before the sun
rose. Face washed, clean shirt on, he to be seated at the kitchen table, Before his father came down the stairs. (omygawd) the Stories.   
My grandpa, he too played the Viola. He had a beautiful voice. He could Sing operetta. He to learn, he to love, as he lived
in Delray. I to read countless postings here, and I am very excited to participate. I am hoping the posters of once, will return.
New posters to Join.

I know through others, us connecting, we will all learn from each other, this is priceless history, shared within each of us.   
If it's left unspoken,.. it dies with us.
Thank You Magyar Man! for aiding my registration.

I choose Zsuzsi my username, as it is my grandmother's and I shared middle name " Susan" 
Blessings to all, Z

[maryhengesbaugh]

This is beautiful!