Page 49 - Priorities #69

In Memoriam
JULIANNA SZÉKELY
Julianna Székely, 75, an employee of Woodside Priory School for 32 years, died on September 17, 2017 after battling cancer.
Julianna was born on June 4, 1942 in Gyergyóújfalu, a small village in Harghita County, also known as Székely Land in Transylvania, Romania. She was raised on a farm with her ve siblings and helped with the animals and harvesting the crops.
At the age of fourteen, Julianna followed her sister Elisabeth’s steps and moved to Marosvásárhe- ly, Romania to become a live-in nanny/housekeeper for a well known dentist. On August 17, 1963 Julianna married János Székely Sr., Julianna met János by doing what she loved to do: dancing. They had two beautiful children, Anikó and János, Jr.
János Sr. had attempted to escape the communism in Romania for many years but after several unsuccessful attempts, he nally escaped in 1984 and ended up in California. With János Sr.’s Hun- garian background, he was referred to Woodside Priory School where he met Father Maurus and was hired as a handyman for the school. Julianna and the children reunited with János Sr. in 1985 when they came to America and Julianna joined János Sr. at Priory when she began working in the kitchen.
The Priory dining hall became Julianna’s second home in many ways; her co-workers became her family and she fed each and every person like they were her children. Her heaping portions of food became legendary.
Julianna enjoyed spending her weekends with her children and their families. They went camp- ing, shing, motorcycle racing, and toured around the U.S. and Canada. János Sr. was never tired of driving and loved showing the family endless adventures.
Julianna had great additions but also unexpected losses in her family. Julianna became a grand- mother in 1993 when her son János Jr. had twins, but sadly her husband passed away just 11 days af- ter the twins were born. Her son János Jr., then passed away in 2009 after a fteen-month battle with colon cancer. But Julianna’s heart was lled with joy again when she became a great-grandmother three years ago. Julianna was proud that her family stuck together through the ups and downs and instilled the same family values in the generations to come.
She is survived by her brother, Marci; sisters, Mariska and Erzsike (Elizabeth); daughter, Anikó and her husband Sándor Nino; two grandchildren, János and James, and a great-grandson, Jax.
Peter Agoston, the Priory kitchen manager, re ected on how special Julianna was, “Her infec- tious smile and love towards all, will be sorely missed, but especially by us, here in the Kitchen, her home. Julianna was our mother, our foundation, someone who cared about all of us, a few of us have know her for 30+ years. She was a loyal friend, dedicated colleague, and a loving mother/ grandmother, that cannot be replaced.”
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IN MEMORIAM