Joseph Tibold

JÓZseF Tibold, ’Joe’ Apcsi

1910.4.12  –  2014.2.13

Certainly, there is no one in attendance today who does not know Joseph Tibold, Joe, or as family affectionately called him, Apcsi. Some of us here have known him for  seventy two years. The world has known him for nearly 104 years. Ok, you can breathe now! Over a century! Just to say it seems like eternity.

All who have known Apcsi liked him. How could they not? Apcsi was the living definition of friendly. Quick to smile, slow to frown. He loved life, loved friends, enjoyed food and a stiff drink on occasion. The secret ingredients of longevity. A true Hungarian.

Apcsi was born in 1910 in Verőce, on the northern bank of the Danube. After the 1920 disastrous Peace Treaty of Trianon, a treaty which defined whether you were a Hungarian, or Slovak, depending on which side of the border you ended up, after the borders were re-drawn. He was repatriated and ended up on the hungarian side, grew to be a bright and ambitious young man, he obtained all his education there, became an attorney, served his country as a volunteer in the military during the Second World War, spent time on the Russian front, including its dreaded severe winters, experienced dark fear and lost many of his beloved comrades. During the Russian invasion he quickly gathered his family and escaped the darkness that engulfed his homeland. On the way to the Austrian border, amidst chaos and danger, his second daughter, Judith was born. Accompanied by his ill wife Betty, or as affectionately known within the family, Nani,  with the month old Judith, a four year old Éva, and with his aged mother, Apcsi left his homeland forever. In the process of avoiding German and Soviet troops alike, he lost his beloved first daughter, Éva, who was separated from the family by a terrible twist of fate. She was forced to return to Hungary with her grandmother, and was unable to rejoin her parents. Her loss and unknown whereabouts and the uncertainty of her ever being seen again took a heavy toll on all the Tibolds, especially Nani. After more than a year, the practically barefoot and emaciated Éva was finally reunited with the happiest family on earth.

Following the War, being a DP, or a Diplaced Person, in any of Germany´s countless camps was nearly unbearable. For the Tibolds it lasted five years before they were finally accepted to enter the United States, Apcsi´s future beloved homeland. Their ship arrived in New York on January 1, 1951.

After an adventurous trip across the United States, the family settled in Alturas in northern California. The Tibolds made their home and, not unlike many pioneers of the past, they worked very hard to survive. The young lawyer from Budapest labored in a sawmill, risking his health even his life to bring food to the table.

Alturas proved too little to offer, Apcsi tried his luck in Los Angeles and after taking two jobs as janitor, and taking college classes to become a bookkeeper, then accountant, and finally company controller. Compared to all immigrants, Apcsi´s life was not unique, but it was very hard. Still, not everyone could match Apcsi´s accomplishments. After his retirement, he relocated from South Pasadena to Seattle to join Éva and Karl, and with Nani made it his home for over forty years.

Apcsi and Nani raised their daughters in the old-country´s traditions, who married and in turn raised their own families. As of the last count, Apcsi has two children, five grandchildren, eight great grandchildren. Quite an accomplishment, but a 100 years is a long time to accomplish many things.

Nani, the love of Apcsi´s life, passed away in 2004, after sixty five years of marriage. Apcsi never recovered from the loss. Even now he sheds tears when her memory surfaces in his mind. Apcsi´s life for us is an example of moral good standing, hard work, love of family and love of God. He is now in the happy place he wished to be for so long, reunited with his beloved Nani, and Jesus, his Lord and Savior .  .