Janos Juhász

Janos Juhász, age 82, of Erie died on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at home surrounded by his loving wife and children. He was born on February 15th, 1936, a son of the late Janos Juhasz and Eszter Varga.

 In 1942, Janos's father was forced to join the Hungarian military in the fight against Russia. He was captured and became a Prisoner of War, and never returned home to his family in Hungary. At the age of 20, Janos fought in the Hungarian uprising in Budapest against the Marxist-Leninist government of the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from October 23rd until November 10th, 1956. He fought tirelessly during the resistance often times putting his own life in peril to save others. He was forced to flee to Austria to avoid persecution by the Soviets, leaving his family and homeland behind. He eventually settled in Switzerland where he met the love of his life, Lucie Gross. They married in 1960, and raised three children. In 1976, the entire family immigrated to the United States.

 Janos was a God loving and humble man who loved and missed his homeland. After 23 years, he was finally granted an entrance visa to visit his beloved Hungary and to reunite with his extended family. After the Soviet troops left Hungary in 1991, the Hungarian government recognized Janos' courageous and heroic actions during the revolution. He was awarded several medals of honor. In 2002, the Hungarian government awarded Janos the Hungarian Knightly Order of Vitez.

 Janos was a mechanical engineer by trade. He took great pride in his work. He loved to work in his garden and enjoyed cooking, especially Hungarian dishes. He was a very giving man, always lending a hand to whomever needed help. He was an avid reader, always longing to learn more. Above all else, he loved his family. He was a member of St. Luke Roman Catholic Church.

 In addition to his parents and his in-laws, he was preceded in death by his sister Mathild Kovacs and her husband Otto, his grandson Jordan N. Juhasz, his nephew Ottika Kovacs, his brother-in-law Bruno Gross, and his son-in-law David M. Johnson.

 He is survived by his loving wife Lucie Gross Juhasz; his son Jean-Francois L. (Franz) Juhasz of Slippery Rock, PA; his daughter Sibylle E. Freiwald and her husband Jerry of Phoenix, Arizona; his daughter Catherine M. Johnson of Erie; nine grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother: Frank Juhasz and his fiance Ann Spence of Erie; brothers and sister in-laws: Joseph Gross and his wife Cecile of Switzerland, Theresa Mancarella of Italy, and Marius Gross of Thailand; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and wonderful friends in Hungary, Switzerland and the United States.

 Friends are invited to call on the family on Friday, November 16th from 3 pm - 7 pm at Burton Wintergreen Funeral Home, 2532 Norcross Rd. and attend a Memorial Mass on Saturday November 17th at 11:00 at St. Luke Catholic Church, 421 East 38th Street.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105. Send condolences at www.Burtonfuneralhome.com