Katalin Varga Bolcsfoldi

Published 10:41 am Friday, March 28, 2025

COLUMBUS – Katalin Varga Bolcsfoldi, 90, of Columbus, passed away, Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

Born in Hungary, she was the daughter of the late Istvan Varga and Rozalia Kocsis Varga and wife of the late Janos Bolcsfoldi who passed away in 2005. In 1954 she married her high school sweetheart, Janos Bolcsfoldi. They had their first daughter in 1956.The Russian army invaded Hungary in 1956 and shortly after the birth of their daughter Janos was drafted by the Russians to fight against his own country to suppress the Hungarian Uprising. Being newly married with a young family they fled the country like so many other Hungarians. Along with others that were fleeing both religious persecution and drafted to fight their own friends and neighbors they were escorted by a brave pastor.

They traveled through high snow in winter on foot to Yugoslavia. From there they went to Italy and caught a ship to Brazil. Katalin and their infant daughter caught the Asian Flu on the ship and came close to losing their lives. Once in Brazil, they had their second daughter Katalin. Janos used his skills as a tool maker for ten years before they were allowed to enter the United States legally. They came to America in 1966 on a Pan Am flight with a suitcase to join other family members in Connecticut, who fled Hungary during the Russian occupation. They lived in New Milford, Connecticut until moving to Florida in 1977 where they owned an apartment complex. In 1987 they moved to Columbus North Carolina to stay near their daughter Katalin (Kathy) Robinson until the present. She was a long-time member of the Columbus Presbyterian Church. She was very much loved and will be missed by all but admired for a long time to come!!

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by five siblings, Rozalia, Juliana, Gyorgy, Maria and Erzsebet.

Surviving are two daughters, Lydia Jackson (Michael) of Roper, North Carolina and Katalin Robinson (Ivan) of Columbus, North Carolina; six grandchildren, Jacob J. Robinson (Jennifer), Krystal K. Powell (Kevin), Rachel P. Zimmer (Chad), Joshua D. Montgomery (Rebecca), Jonathan Montgomery and Joell L. Montgomery; seven great-grandchildren, Brianna M. Powell, Brandon W. Powell, Tyler J. Robinson (Savannah), Alyssa A. Lee (Andrew), Emily M. Robinson, Grace N. Mabe and Daniel L. Zimmer; two great-great-grandchildren, River G. Robinson and Remington R. Robinson. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends Sunday, March 30, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the McFarland Funeral Chapel.

Funeral services will follow at 3:00 p.m., Sunday at the funeral chapel with Reverend Phillip Ashley officiating.

Burial will follow in Polk Memorial Gardens in Columbus, North Carolina.

Memorials may be made to Columbus Presbyterian Church, 21 Peniel Road, Columbus, North Carolina 28722.

An online guest register is available at mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory

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