Peter Szekely's Obituary
Primary Examiner, USPTO
Holocaust Survivor
At age 86, died as a result of multiple falls, on November 11, 2022. Peter survived a childhood during WWII in Budapest and escaped Hungary at 20 in 1956. By 1961 he had earned his BA in chemical engineering at New York University on a refugee scholarship. He retired in 2014 as one of the oldest primary examiners at the US Patent & Trademark Office.
He traveled the world from Samarkand to Tikal (with a broken leg), from Gozo to Petra, last to Riace with Hara, his partner of the last 25 years. He voraciously read history, novels, Barron's, devoured Hungarian dishes. His three marriages ended in divorce with no children. Locally, he lived in Crystal City and Del Ray, the last 11 years in SouthWest DC.
He will be missed by his partner, Hara Ann Bouganim, niece Noemi (Serban) Szekely-Popescu of DC, brother Robert Szekely (Lucy) of Budapest, Hungary, cousins Agnes Igra and Marika Czimith of Sydney, Australia, cousin Dorothy (Ken) Plotkin of Dix Hill, NY, friend since childhood Dr. Menachem "Somi" (Ruth) Schmelzer) of New York City, USPTO colleagues Dr. James "Jim" (Cruzcaya) Alstrum-Acevedo), Dr. Neil (Del) Levy, and Dihru Nacarani of Mt. Laurel, NJ. He will be remembered by so many others who admired his tenacity and wit.
Burial was November 18, at the Eternal Light Memorial Gardens in Boynton Beach, FL next to his father Janos. Celebrate his life by living your dreams. Contributions in his memory may be made to HIAS, which helped his family achieve theirs.
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