Maria Bardos Obituary
Bardos, Dr. Maria Csonka

Mar 10, 1938 – Sep 23, 2024

Passed away in Buffalo NY. She was born to Kornelia and John Csonka in Budapest, Hungary. She lived a colorful, adventurous life. Her father fled Communism in 1948 and settled in Buffalo. After numerous attempts by her mother to obtain an exit visa, the rest of the family was granted permission to leave Hungary in 1959 and was reunited with her father in the US. Because of the family’s “reactionary” background, she was not admitted to university in Hungary. She completed her higher education at SUNY Buffalo, graduating summa cum laude with a BA and a PhD in German literature. She taught German, Spanish, and Latin in Amherst Middle and High Schools for 26 years. In 1980 she received the James E. Allen Award for Excellence in Foreign Language Education in NY State. She enjoyed tennis, classical music, watercolor-painting, travelling and most of all, conversing with her numerous friends. Ever the educator, she made numerous presentations to her friends at Canterbury Woods retirement community on topics such as the art of Michelangelo, Etruscan civilization, and the Iliad. One of her proudest accomplishments was a memoir of her life during World War II and Communism, “More Than Luck.” Preceded in death by her husband Dr. Thomas Bardos, her parents, and her brother John Csonka, Jr. Survived by her sister Judy (Peter) Novak, brother Laszlo (Carol) Csonka, and cousin Géza (Judy) Csonka who helped her in her failing health. She cherished her godchildren, nieces and nephews Nicolette (Michael) Hommer, Andrea (Michael) Baer, Susan Csonka, Peter (Lisa) Novak, and Nicolas (Taylor) Csonka. If you wish, please make a donation in Maria’s memory to the American Heart Association.