Obituary of John Szabo Sr

John Szabo Sr died peacefully on December 5, 2023 at his home in Redding Connecticut. John was born in Gyepükaján Hungary on September 10, 1936 to John & Regina. He ventured to America in 1956 with a foundry engineering background to live the "American Dream". After working in a foundry in Norwalk Connecticut, he moved on to establish his own house painting business with great success. During this time, John met his lovely wife Lillian Bolha in Norwalk and married in 1962. They went on to raise three children, Dennis, Jim, and John and moved the family to Danbury Connecticut in 1971. John expanded his painting company to include becoming a reputable home builder in the towns of Monroe, Redding, Wilton, Westport and Weston Connecticut. His success allowed him and his family to travel back to his homeland of Hungary several times a year. During this time, he purchased a house with a vineyard not far from the town where he was born, which they used as a vacation home annually. During grape season, they traveled back to Hungary, to pick grapes and make wine in their wine cellar. The family outgrew the home in Danbury, and moved to nearby Redding in a house he built. John and his wife Lillian continued to live in Redding for the next 40-plus years. John's interests were many, including soccer, bowling, vegetable gardening, pickling and most of all his love for sausage making and curing a vast array of meats. For John, there was nothing more gratifying than when his friends and local businessmen would ask if he had any more of that homemade sausage. He is survived by his wife Lillian, sons Jim, John Jr and his wife Rosangela all of whom he loved very much. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Sari, niece Sue and nephew Ted. He is preceded in death by his oldest son Dennis, John's brother Tibor and half-brother Joseph Kovacs. John will be sorely missed by his family who loved him very much. Services will be private and held at Riverside Cemetary in Norwalk Ct.