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Erzsébet Für
January 14, 1933 - July 19, 2016
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<div itemprop="description">Erzsébet Für<br>January 14,1933 - July 19, 2016<br><br>Elizabeth Für (Kalmár) was born the youngest of four girls and one brother in the small village of Bénye, Hungary. Erszi always spoke fondly of her childhood, telling us stories of caring for and playing with the animals the family raised, and of the idylls of village life. In her youth she enjoyed music, attending the village dances, and courting the local boys. After moving to Budapest, Elizabeth fell in love with French and Hungarian films, and could be found in the city’s many cinemas weekly.<br><br>It was during this time Elizabeth met her husband, Janos (John), at a factory where they both worked. After a long courtship, the couple was forced to make the difficult decision to leave Hungary together in the face of the 1956 uprising against the Soviet Union’s occupation of Hungary. Travelling through Austria, the couple found themselves residing in a Red Cross camp in France where they would use the stipend they received in lieu of rationed cigarettes to see more of the films they loved so dearly. Although they both would have been happy to call France home, their journey continued across the Atlantic, eventually landing the Fürs in Calgary, which would become their home for the next 59 years. It was through this long journey that Elizabeth and John would meet other young couples from Hungary who would become lifelong friends.<br><br>Shortly after arriving in Calgary, Susie, their oldest was born. Although money was tight in those early years, and the new parents had to work hard, Elizabeth always spoke fondly of what joy their daughter brought them. Susie now too would join the couple on their weekly Saturday visits to the cinema. After much hard work and classic Eastern European frugality, the family was able to buy the little yellow bungalow that would become home for the next 53 years.<br><br>The Fürs were not yet complete, as nine years later Johnny was born, bringing even more happiness to the family.<br><br>As the years passed and Susie and Johnny raised their own families, Grandma’s house still remained home and was always a treat to visit. Elizabeth would not let you leave without filling you up with her delicious Hungarian cooking and baking. “You’re so skinny, are you on a diet? Gyere, eat, eat” was her constant cry. Although we are deeply saddened that will never be able to recreate her recipes, having the privilege to eat her food at her small kitchen table, at one of the many large holiday family dinners, or even just leftovers from her Tupperware, will remain cherished memories forever. To create these meals, Elizabeth loved taking trips to the market and the many European delis around town, forever in search of the perfect egg noodles or sour cherries to complete each dish.<br><br>Throughout her entire life Elizabeth maintained an incredible memory for details both significant and insignificant, able to list each address she had lived in her lifetime, the exact date the first Soviet soldier was seen in her village, and could even recite poetry she had learned as child. Her grandchildren were always amazed to hear stories of herding geese for their bath, their great grandparents’ taste for a bit of palinka in the morning, and of Elizabeth’s love of riding the wooden rollercoaster in Budapest’s Városliget.<br><br>Elizabeth’s greatest pride and joy in the world were always her grandchildren, Kevin, Michael, Joey, Alyssa, and Robyn-Lynn. From the time that the first was born, their happiness and wellbeing became her greatest focus in her life. Grandma’s love, kindness, and generosity were infinite, and she would not hesitate for an instant to do anything for them. From babysitting them when they were young, to offering advice on relationships, taking them to the casino for a little bit of gambling, and of course, always insisting on a good education, she was and will remain an ever present source of love and guidance. <br><br>Although focused on building a new life in Canada, Elizabeth always held a deep love and longing for her homeland of Hungary. Elizabeth made sure to maintain her Hungarian traditions and developed close ties with the Hungarian community in Calgary, while ensuring to keep in touch with those back home through many calls and letters. While she did love taking family vacations to Hawaii, her heart leapt at any opportunity to return home to Hungary.<br><br>Generous, caring, loving, kind, and always able to tell things exactly how they were, we will miss her dearly. Elizabeth created an enormous impact in all of our lives and we will cherish and carry her everlasting memory forever. <br><br>In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Elizabeth's memory to the Southern Alberta chapter of the Kidney foundation of Canada (6007 1A Street SW Calgary, AB T2H 0G5 or online at www.kidney.ca/sab). A private family service was held. <br></div>