Obituary of Tihamér János KÖVÉR

June 16, 1929 - Budapest, Hungary
November 15, 2019 - Calgary, Alberta

In faith and fear, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection and the eternal life, Tihamér peacefully went home to God in the early hours of Friday, November 15, 2019.

We will forever treasure the lessons he taught us about resilience, perseverance and strength.  Born at the beginning of the Great Depression, he lived through the Second World War and the Russian Occupation of Hungary. He was determined to become a petroleum engineer, but as a son of the bourgeoisie, he was repeatedly told by the Communist authorities that he would not be admitted to university.  Finally, after years of jumping through hoops and being stonewalled, Tihamér had had enough and, in characteristically Hungarian fashion, lost his temper in front of a Party official: miraculously, he was admitted to the University of Miskolc/Sopron. In October of 1956, after years of starvation and hardship, a few short months before he was to graduate, he had to flee Hungary during the revolution. He was never to see his beloved father again.  Undaunted, he started over again in England, learning and studying in an alien tongue.  He persevered, graduating from the University of Leeds in 1962.  In 1963, he went to Libya, embarking on a career in geophysics which was to last forty-four years and span Africa, Australia and North America. Geophysics was his passion and his God-given calling.  He was proud to be a life member of APEGA. To the end of his life, he loved mathematics and was proud to be an engineer.  He would have chosen no other path.

We thank him for so many other gifts: for his infectious love of life, for the love of opera and music, and of poetry.  To the very end of his life, he continued to recite the poetry of Ady and Arany and to whistle along with favourite arias from Puccini and Verdi, though it has to be admitted that fellow opera goers did not always share his enthusiasm.

His motto was if it ain’t broke, take it apart and fix it anyway, though towards the end of his life, he had mastered the taking apart but not necessarily the fixing, as the many boxes of “spare parts” attest. 

He will be always loved and eternally missed by Pat, his wife of fifty-six years, sons and daughters-in-law, Zsólti (Richard) and Rique, and Mark and Tara; and four-legged companion Loca.  Férjem úram, dad, we love you so much. 

The family is so grateful for the love and care which Tihamér received in the last year of his life from the amazing staff at Carewest Sarcee.  Day by day we watched the love you gave not only to him but to all your clients.  Your touch, your attention, your obvious love for those in your care made such a difference to him and to us. Thank you. 

To the very end of his life, Tihamér was grateful for the love and support of the congregation of Calvin Hungarian Presbyterian Church; the more difficult life became, the more he valued the opportunity to be there. 

Funeral Services will be held at Calvin Hungarian Presbyterian Church (101 - 14 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB) on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Bertalan Bocskorás presiding.  So many of you loved and were loved by Tihamér/Tom:  we look forward to remembering him with all of you then. 

If friends so desire, tributes may be made directly to the Calvin Hungarian Presbyterian Church, 101 - 14 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB T2R 0L8.

A tree will be planted in living memory of Tihamér Kövér. McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Crowfoot, 82 CROWFOOT CIRCLE NW, CALGARY, AB T3G 2T3,   Telephone: 403-241-0044.