Tibor

You were a person of greatness, your love for your family and especially your nieces and nephews, your Mum and your brothers and their spouses, was always a topic of conversation when we met.  

Your vision and understanding was epic when it came to most everything, you did everything with your whole heart.

Such a talented musician and so proud of your brother who was also an accomplished musician.

Tibor, the mark that you left on this planet is indelible, you will be missed as a dear friend, musician and all together wonderful human.

My love and condolences go to your family. Fly free my friend.

With love from Paul and I.

I met TK about 5 years ago in Jhb when he came with a fellow musician to my house for a jam. After 15 seconds behind the guitar in my band room I knew this boy was something special...we went on to form a special bond and became great friends.

I remember one incident clearly…our regular guitarist fell ill hours before a gig…I called TK up 2 hours before the gig and asked if he could help out. He was at my place within 45 minutes, and he spent another 45 minutes learning 8 songs…and then we were on stage ! What a Champion ! But there was no way we could get him out of his Chinos and collared work-shirt. He looked soooo out of place !

He went on to become the Musical Director of a Charity Show in Johannesburg and imparted his experience and vast knowledge of music onto the band members. What a perfectionist ! Those shows raised over R200 000 for various charities. He gave of his time willingly when it came to others.

TK decided he wanted to learn to shoot a firearm. Next minute, he had bought a gun and was coming down to the range regularly with me to " burn the powder". He was a great shot and regularly scored higher than me.

We loved our pizza and we would spend evenings at my place with my wife Tracy, solving the world's problems in one easy evening.

Since I have known him, his expression of disgust at something was always "that's f...ing hoooorrible!". He made us laugh...what a character !

We are going to miss you my Senor Friend ! Our condolences to the family…

Dear Tibor,

Our hearts are saddened by your sudden departure. You left too soon and we will miss you dearly. I will not forget your smile and passion for climate, your quiet strength and dedication. You were always available to teach and pitch it when needed and taught us all to have fun throughout it all. Above it all, you were a good man, and a loyal friend. The world would be a dimmer place without you. Until we meet again, I want to leave you with a poem that summarizes how you lived much better than I can express.

 If - By Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you   
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;   
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;   
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,   
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

Rest in peace, dear Tibor. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of your loved ones.

Kalina

Dear Dear Tibor,

What a quintenssential specimen of a good soul!  A good, honest, committed and passionate & compassionate individual in everything you did.  My first trip to Hungary with you and Eva is forever etched in my memory.  My first inkling of how important it was for us to respect nature and the environment came from you.  Portfolio management of CEEF and HEECP rolled off the tip of my tongue as though I had been there from their inception because of your patience in bringing me up to speed and your determination for me to internalize what we were trying to achieve through these projects.

In between visiting the blockhouses and buildings in which CEEF had installed systems that led to improved amenities and lower utility costs for the families that called these places "home", you found time to arrange for me to attend mass at and enjoy the beauty of St. Stephen''s Basilica.  You did that for two reasons - first because I talked casually about missing church when I travel and secondly because you wanted me to appreciate that, even with all its difficult patches in history, Hungary had much that is beautiful to offer.

Most of all Tibor was your love and passion for Hungary that you imparted to me even as you appreciated my own for Zambia and for Africa.

We mourn that you are gone much too soon but I thank God that I knew you and I celebrate the impact you had on many around the globe, that was as deep and as wide as if you had lived to be one hundred years old.

In my last words, you make me recall Ernest Henley's Invictus...

I AM THE MASTER OF MY FATE. I AM THE CAPTAIN OF MY SOUL.

Thank you Tibor. Sail with the winds...........

Tibor, I had a privilege to be your colleague and friend and I will miss your sense of humor, friendship and generosity. I will never forget good times we had together in Hungary and elsewhere…your unmatched talent to speak my mother language in late night (or early morning?) … your passion for everything you touched on….your energy and endurance to complete missions impossible. I wish we had spent more time together but I hope that we will catch up sooner or later…please keep the seat next to you free my friend… 

Dear Tibor,

We will miss you, we knew you were always there with your gentle and humble soul, since many years ago, when we meet in Hungary, working both as consultants, we have always been in touch and our lives run parallel to the extend that we ended up living in South Africa. We will miss you, we will miss your music and your gentle soul. The Hungarian that grew up in Cuba, speaking almost perfect Spanish, the musician, the climate change fighter.

Dear Tibor, you were one of the first I met when I arrived in the team last year, and when you looked down at me you immediately made me think of a giant with a very very gentle soul. 

The months we spent working alongside each other confirmed my initial impression, although with your nature of saying things as they are you also reminded me of my own children: people who call out a wrong if they see one and don’t hold a grudge. Oh and the time you explained to me what a flight you had just had from Johannesburg to Washington or when you came back and expressed surprise at having found the food in Mumbai delicious, that will make me smile each time I remember.

Your passion for music was known to all although like many here I wish I had taken the time and asked to come to one of your concerts. One thing is for sure is that right now, there is a concert up there somewhere that’s playing with closed box offices. Down here we will miss you dearly, and I for one will wish there had been much, much more time. 

Sending my best wishes to your family, who will need to be strong in this time; hopefully to see how many people Tibor had touched closely will help, if only a little bit. 

Tibor,

I first met when I joined the México office of IFC to take over your role, as you moved to pastures new. You showed me the ropes with patience and generosity. From you I drew inspiration that I would deeply internalise, and would guide me through my career at IFC, and even to this day. Once you had the office, you were always the person I knew I could call for an honest, frank coversation. 

Like many others, through many car journeys and over many beers what I most recall is learning about the lovely dreams you had of retiring to the country, spending time with nieces and nephews, and playing more music. I am heartbroken that this was cut short. Rest in peace Tibor, with a warm farewell from all your friends.

A man of honor; an inquisitive mind; dedicated to his friends and work; always willing to learn and teach; rest in peace my friend. It was an honor to get to know you, to work with you and spend four wonderful years with you in México.

Go get them in heaven Tibor

Drága Tibi,

amikor három héttel ezelőtt meg együtt kaveztunk itt Washington DC- ben és szokasunkhoz hiven próbáltuk hosszú órán keresztül az élet nagy kérdéseit megoldani és választ találni rá , sosem gondoltam volna , hogy akkor látlak utoljára .

Meg most sem akarom elhinni , és miért ilyen koran , meg annyi sok szép év várt rad.

Nagyon fajo szívvel veszem tudomásul, hogy egy majdnem husz éves ismerettsegnek, baratsagnak így hirtelen vége .

Nyugodj békében.

“Azok a barátaink, akiket elveszítettünk, nem a földben pihennek, hanem bent lakoznak a szívünkben.” – Alexandre Dumas

Bea

I've known my dear friend, Tibor, for almost as long I've worked at this institution. Well, our work brings us together with people who work for a common cause - to support development - and that makes it easier for each one of us to understand one another so much better.

I however knew Tibor both from his sense and passion to scale solar but more so from his passion for music. Every time we met he would fondly talk about one of his guitars, or the one he just bought, and how when he would retire he would spend all day at his farm playing music with his brothers.

He has always had an inquisitive mind and I cannot say how much I will miss his company. Our lives enrich when we meet a good soul and that transcends our own spirits beyond.