Obituary of Imre Lengyel

Imre Lengyel, a devoted and loving father, grandfather, husband and long time resident of Bolton, CT passed away unexpectedly on April 27th, 2023 at the age of 86.

Imre, "Imike," "Jim," "Apu," "Nagypapa," was known by many names but no matter how he was known he was loved by everyone who knew him or met him. He was born in the small village of Kesztolc, Hungary on September 22, 1936. A place he spoke so fondly of, but made the difficult decision to leave during the challenging times of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He fled his country, on foot in the middle of the night with his brother, stepbrother, and cousin. After safely making their way across the Austrian border they eventually arrived at a refugee camp and made the decision to emigrate to the United States. With no more than what he carried in a small bag, he arrived to the United States and with his dedication and hard work ethic, he truly epitomized the definition of the American Dream. He was diligent with everything he did and always took great pride in his work. After settling in CT, he eventually learned the trade of welding, and more specifically the unique and challenging style of TIG welding. In his 40+ year welding career, the majority of his work was on aircraft engine components, most notably a challenging part on the F16.

In his spare time, he enjoyed golfing and bowling, scoring a perfect 300 on one occasion, but his most favorite activity was centered around soccer, both playing and watching. He joined a soccer league in Hartford with fellow Hungarians often commenting how much he enjoyed that time of his life. It also led him to meet his wife Ilona, also a Hungarian, the sister of his friend and teammate. They married on May 22, 1971, and built their forever home in Bolton, CT, which he treasured and lived in for 48 years. It was here that he and his wife raised their two children and continued living that American Dream. He continued his commitment to his family, continually stressing the importance of education. It was his dream for his children to be able to attend university and obtain college degrees. The proudest moments in his life were attending the college graduations of both of his children, followed by the births of his grandchildren, and watching them run and play in his backyard. The backyard, the lawn and the vegetable garden was the shared labor of love with his wife, which provided delicious home grown produce the family always enjoyed and shared with others.

Imre had an infectious smile and befriended everyone he met. His laughter and generous nature will truly be missed by us all.

Imre was preceded in death by his parents Imre and Ilona Lengyel, and his loving wife Ilona.  He is survived by his son Attila (wife Nicole and grandchildren Tyler, Amelia, and Milena), his daughter Ildiko (husband Mark and grandchildren Aliena and Alexia), his brother Steve, sister Ilonka, stepbrother Joe, and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews.  

A wake will be held at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home at 219 West Center Street, Manchester, CT, on Thursday May 4, 2023, from 4pm to 7pm with a funeral service at St. Maurice Church at 32 Hebron Road, Bolton, CT, Friday May 5, 2023, at 10am, followed by a celebration of life at Georgina's, 275 Boston Turnpike, Bolton, CT 06043. For online condolences, please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.