OBITUARY
Magda Lapedus
JULY 18, 1923 – DECEMBER 25, 2022
Obituary of Magda Lapedus
IN THE CARE OF
Lakeshore Mortuary
Magda Lapedus – beloved sister, daughter, wife, mother, and friend – passed away on December 25, 2022, at the age of 99, after a long and extraordinary life.
Magda was born in Budapest, Hungary on July 18, 1923 to Henrik Mezei and Bertha Neuman Mezei, the third of four children. Her older sister Klara died as an infant. Brother Janos was just 15 months older. Magda's brother George was born in 1936.
Magda's childhood was happy and her family life was beautiful. She attended the Juliana Dutch Reform Church and School in Budapest, sponsored by Queen Wilhelmina of the Royal House of the Netherlands, and was a top student. At five years old, Magda could already read and write, and was fluent in Hungarian, English and German.
Magda's parents taught all their children to be kind to all people. They celebrated Christian holidays as well as Jewish holidays and had dear family friends from all religions and work backgrounds.
From 1920 to 1939 and beyond, the Hungarian government decreed a series of anti-Jewish laws. Those of Jewish decent were no longer permitted to occupy intellectual posts, serve in various professions, and hold state-sponsored jobs. Jews were deprived of the right to vote and were banned from local spas and markets. Magda's family was forced from their home.
At age 17, as Jewish children were prohibited from attending university, Magda joined the Dutch/United States underground in Budapest. With her excellent penmanship and fluency in several languages, she began creating documents such as exit papers, to save lives. "During war time, you do things you wouldn't do otherwise," Magda said.
Magda's older brother Janos was taken from their family in late 1942 to serve hard labor by the Nazi/Hungarian military. He was taken to several different camps, but by the end of WWII, he was a prisoner at the brutal hard labor camp in Mauthausen, Austria.
During this time, the countries of Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal established "protected buildings" to help save Jewish people. These countries required documents to live at the assigned protected buildings. Magda obtained these documents from the Legation of Spain for her family before she was taken. Her grandmother Rose, Mother Bertha and little brother George were able to escape from the Jewish Ghetto to Spain's "protected building" shortly after Magda was taken.
In October 1943, Magda and her father were taken by the Hungarian Nazis and forced to march for many miles. Magda was picked up due to her work with the Dutch/US underground, not because she was Jewish. After walking many miles, men and women were separated, and marched in different directions. Henrik looked back at his daughter, as if to say, "I love you! It will be alright." That would be the last time Magda saw her father.
Magda was forced to walk many miles and was then taken by cattle rail car to Strausshof an der Nordbahn, a concentration camp just outside Vienna, Austria, populated with Catholic Priests, gypsy children, and other prisoners of war. She had a remarkable drive to survive, a drive to return to rescue her remaining family. She had great loyalty!
Magda showed loving compassion for those suffering alongside her, and she generously cared for fellow prisoners in the very worst of circumstances, holding many as they died. She remained a prisoner there until the Russian Red Army liberated the camp in April 1945. Russian troops encouraged her to go west to freedom, but Magda insisted on returning east to Budapest, to rescue her mother, grandmother, and little brother George. Magda hitched a ride with Russian troops heading back eastward.
Budapest was still an active war zone, with Russian troops fighting Hungarian Nazis. Magda found her mother, grandmother and brother alive, in an artillery damaged building, without food, electricity, water or heat. An elderly couple in the same room were deceased and frozen. She helped other refugees to secure food and blankets from sympathetic Russian troops.
At great risk, Magda traveled to Austria, hiding in the coal of the engine car on a Russian troop train, in hopes of finding her beloved brother Janos, last known to be at Mauthausen, Austria. Janos' camp had been liberated by the US Army in May 1945. Janos was found and hospitalized in an American Displaced Persons (DP) hospital, where he passed away on Sept. 2, 1945, and was buried in Linz, Austria. She was devastated to learn he had died and had to return to her family with the tragic news. Years later Magda discovered her father Henrik had been killed shortly after they separated on their march out of Budapest where they were taken by Hungarian Nazis. Magda carried great grief and sorrow over the loss of her father and brother every day of her long life.
Magda returned to her mother, grandmother and little brother George in Budapest and eventually, at great risk, obtained papers to flee Hungary for Austria. They successfully arrived at the US DP Camp Bindermichel in US occupied Linz, Austria, where they would live. Upon arriving, Magda was summoned to the US Army Occupation Governor General Collins. He knew of her fluency in five languages and of her courageous work with the Dutch/US underground in Budapest. Magda worked directly with General Collins as his translator.
While living in the DP camp, Magda met and married Dr. Michael Reizes in 1948 in Linz. As the DP camp was to be disbanded, they obtained documents to immigrate to Venezuela where Michael had a teaching position with a university there. Magda took a position at a travel agency, where her knowledge of the world, language abilities, and interpersonal skills shone brightly. The two principle owners of the agency and Magda launched VIASA - Venezuelan International Airways in 1960. Magda and Mike celebrated the arrival of their son Henry in March 1952.
In the same year, the family made a temporary move to Miami, Florida, where Magda would establish the first USA VIASA operations location. In anticipation of a move to New York, to open the USA headquarters for VIASA, construction began for the future family home in Yorktown Heights, NY.
In the 1980's, Magda received a message from the US State Department stating that Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands would like to meet Magda in KLM's Royal Room in Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY. As Magda met the Queen, she inquired as to why she was invited. Queen Beatrice asked if she could kiss Magda, which she did, twice on each cheek, and then the Queen gave Magda a hug. She said, "Thank you for all you have done for the Dutch!"
Magda and her brother George donated documents to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and were honored guests at the museum's opening in the spring of 1993.
Magda's husband Michael Reizes passed away on Sept 27, 1976, at the age of 71, in White Plains, NY and is buried in the White Plains Rural Cemetery, the same cemetery where Magda's grandmother Rose Links Neuman and mother Bertha Neuman Mezei are buried.
Magda married second husband Norman Lapedus on April 17, 1983 in Palo Alto, California. Norman passed away in January 2016, with Magda holding him.
Magda and her younger brother George enjoyed a very loving relationship and always lived close to each other. George passed away on May 28, 2020, as Magda held him. They were both living at Sunrise Assisted Living in Gilbert, Arizona.
"I was always for my family and for the people who were in trouble—all my life!" said Magda.
Magda is survived by her son Henry, wife Mauri, and son Charlie Reizes of Mesa, Arizona, she is a Grandmother of Ariana Ziskin-Bailey (Husband Steven), and Great Grandmother of Caspian and Lennox Ziskin-Bailey, a niece Irma Rose in California, Great Aunt of Rachel and Katie in Oregon, and Great Aunt of Ryan in Massachusetts, First Cousin of Peter Mezei in Australia, and via his lineage to at least 8 others in Israel and Spain, and dear Family Friends Lianne, Alan and Spencer Holt in Mesa, Arizona, and Melanie and Bob Shaha in Gilbert, Arizona.
Magda Lapedus
JULY 18, 1923 – DECEMBER 25, 2022
Obituary of Magda Lapedus
IN THE CARE OF
Lakeshore Mortuary
Magda Lapedus – beloved sister, daughter, wife, mother, and friend – passed away on December 25, 2022, at the age of 99, after a long and extraordinary life.
Magda was born in Budapest, Hungary on July 18, 1923 to Henrik Mezei and Bertha Neuman Mezei, the third of four children. Her older sister Klara died as an infant. Brother Janos was just 15 months older. Magda's brother George was born in 1936.
Magda's childhood was happy and her family life was beautiful. She attended the Juliana Dutch Reform Church and School in Budapest, sponsored by Queen Wilhelmina of the Royal House of the Netherlands, and was a top student. At five years old, Magda could already read and write, and was fluent in Hungarian, English and German.
Magda's parents taught all their children to be kind to all people. They celebrated Christian holidays as well as Jewish holidays and had dear family friends from all religions and work backgrounds.
From 1920 to 1939 and beyond, the Hungarian government decreed a series of anti-Jewish laws. Those of Jewish decent were no longer permitted to occupy intellectual posts, serve in various professions, and hold state-sponsored jobs. Jews were deprived of the right to vote and were banned from local spas and markets. Magda's family was forced from their home.
At age 17, as Jewish children were prohibited from attending university, Magda joined the Dutch/United States underground in Budapest. With her excellent penmanship and fluency in several languages, she began creating documents such as exit papers, to save lives. "During war time, you do things you wouldn't do otherwise," Magda said.
Magda's older brother Janos was taken from their family in late 1942 to serve hard labor by the Nazi/Hungarian military. He was taken to several different camps, but by the end of WWII, he was a prisoner at the brutal hard labor camp in Mauthausen, Austria.
During this time, the countries of Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal established "protected buildings" to help save Jewish people. These countries required documents to live at the assigned protected buildings. Magda obtained these documents from the Legation of Spain for her family before she was taken. Her grandmother Rose, Mother Bertha and little brother George were able to escape from the Jewish Ghetto to Spain's "protected building" shortly after Magda was taken.
In October 1943, Magda and her father were taken by the Hungarian Nazis and forced to march for many miles. Magda was picked up due to her work with the Dutch/US underground, not because she was Jewish. After walking many miles, men and women were separated, and marched in different directions. Henrik looked back at his daughter, as if to say, "I love you! It will be alright." That would be the last time Magda saw her father.
Magda was forced to walk many miles and was then taken by cattle rail car to Strausshof an der Nordbahn, a concentration camp just outside Vienna, Austria, populated with Catholic Priests, gypsy children, and other prisoners of war. She had a remarkable drive to survive, a drive to return to rescue her remaining family. She had great loyalty!
Magda showed loving compassion for those suffering alongside her, and she generously cared for fellow prisoners in the very worst of circumstances, holding many as they died. She remained a prisoner there until the Russian Red Army liberated the camp in April 1945. Russian troops encouraged her to go west to freedom, but Magda insisted on returning east to Budapest, to rescue her mother, grandmother, and little brother George. Magda hitched a ride with Russian troops heading back eastward.
Budapest was still an active war zone, with Russian troops fighting Hungarian Nazis. Magda found her mother, grandmother and brother alive, in an artillery damaged building, without food, electricity, water or heat. An elderly couple in the same room were deceased and frozen. She helped other refugees to secure food and blankets from sympathetic Russian troops.
At great risk, Magda traveled to Austria, hiding in the coal of the engine car on a Russian troop train, in hopes of finding her beloved brother Janos, last known to be at Mauthausen, Austria. Janos' camp had been liberated by the US Army in May 1945. Janos was found and hospitalized in an American Displaced Persons (DP) hospital, where he passed away on Sept. 2, 1945, and was buried in Linz, Austria. She was devastated to learn he had died and had to return to her family with the tragic news. Years later Magda discovered her father Henrik had been killed shortly after they separated on their march out of Budapest where they were taken by Hungarian Nazis. Magda carried great grief and sorrow over the loss of her father and brother every day of her long life.
Magda returned to her mother, grandmother and little brother George in Budapest and eventually, at great risk, obtained papers to flee Hungary for Austria. They successfully arrived at the US DP Camp Bindermichel in US occupied Linz, Austria, where they would live. Upon arriving, Magda was summoned to the US Army Occupation Governor General Collins. He knew of her fluency in five languages and of her courageous work with the Dutch/US underground in Budapest. Magda worked directly with General Collins as his translator.
While living in the DP camp, Magda met and married Dr. Michael Reizes in 1948 in Linz. As the DP camp was to be disbanded, they obtained documents to immigrate to Venezuela where Michael had a teaching position with a university there. Magda took a position at a travel agency, where her knowledge of the world, language abilities, and interpersonal skills shone brightly. The two principle owners of the agency and Magda launched VIASA - Venezuelan International Airways in 1960. Magda and Mike celebrated the arrival of their son Henry in March 1952.
In the same year, the family made a temporary move to Miami, Florida, where Magda would establish the first USA VIASA operations location. In anticipation of a move to New York, to open the USA headquarters for VIASA, construction began for the future family home in Yorktown Heights, NY.
In the 1980's, Magda received a message from the US State Department stating that Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands would like to meet Magda in KLM's Royal Room in Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY. As Magda met the Queen, she inquired as to why she was invited. Queen Beatrice asked if she could kiss Magda, which she did, twice on each cheek, and then the Queen gave Magda a hug. She said, "Thank you for all you have done for the Dutch!"
Magda and her brother George donated documents to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and were honored guests at the museum's opening in the spring of 1993.
Magda's husband Michael Reizes passed away on Sept 27, 1976, at the age of 71, in White Plains, NY and is buried in the White Plains Rural Cemetery, the same cemetery where Magda's grandmother Rose Links Neuman and mother Bertha Neuman Mezei are buried.
Magda married second husband Norman Lapedus on April 17, 1983 in Palo Alto, California. Norman passed away in January 2016, with Magda holding him.
Magda and her younger brother George enjoyed a very loving relationship and always lived close to each other. George passed away on May 28, 2020, as Magda held him. They were both living at Sunrise Assisted Living in Gilbert, Arizona.
"I was always for my family and for the people who were in trouble—all my life!" said Magda.
Magda is survived by her son Henry, wife Mauri, and son Charlie Reizes of Mesa, Arizona, she is a Grandmother of Ariana Ziskin-Bailey (Husband Steven), and Great Grandmother of Caspian and Lennox Ziskin-Bailey, a niece Irma Rose in California, Great Aunt of Rachel and Katie in Oregon, and Great Aunt of Ryan in Massachusetts, First Cousin of Peter Mezei in Australia, and via his lineage to at least 8 others in Israel and Spain, and dear Family Friends Lianne, Alan and Spencer Holt in Mesa, Arizona, and Melanie and Bob Shaha in Gilbert, Arizona.
OBITUARY
Magda Lapedus
JULY 18, 1923 – DECEMBER 25, 2022
Obituary of Magda Lapedus
IN THE CARE OF
Lakeshore Mortuary
Magda Lapedus – beloved sister, daughter, wife, mother, and friend – passed away on December 25, 2022, at the age of 99, after a long and extraordinary life.
Magda was born in Budapest, Hungary on July 18, 1923 to Henrik Mezei and Bertha Neuman Mezei, the third of four children. Her older sister Klara died as an infant. Brother Janos was just 15 months older. Magda's brother George was born in 1936.
Magda's childhood was happy and her family life was beautiful. She attended the Juliana Dutch Reform Church and School in Budapest, sponsored by Queen Wilhelmina of the Royal House of the Netherlands, and was a top student. At five years old, Magda could already read and write, and was fluent in Hungarian, English and German.
Magda's parents taught all their children to be kind to all people. They celebrated Christian holidays as well as Jewish holidays and had dear family friends from all religions and work backgrounds.
From 1920 to 1939 and beyond, the Hungarian government decreed a series of anti-Jewish laws. Those of Jewish decent were no longer permitted to occupy intellectual posts, serve in various professions, and hold state-sponsored jobs. Jews were deprived of the right to vote and were banned from local spas and markets. Magda's family was forced from their home.
At age 17, as Jewish children were prohibited from attending university, Magda joined the Dutch/United States underground in Budapest. With her excellent penmanship and fluency in several languages, she began creating documents such as exit papers, to save lives. "During war time, you do things you wouldn't do otherwise," Magda said.
Magda's older brother Janos was taken from their family in late 1942 to serve hard labor by the Nazi/Hungarian military. He was taken to several different camps, but by the end of WWII, he was a prisoner at the brutal hard labor camp in Mauthausen, Austria.
During this time, the countries of Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal established "protected buildings" to help save Jewish people. These countries required documents to live at the assigned protected buildings. Magda obtained these documents from the Legation of Spain for her family before she was taken. Her grandmother Rose, Mother Bertha and little brother George were able to escape from the Jewish Ghetto to Spain's "protected building" shortly after Magda was taken.
In October 1943, Magda and her father were taken by the Hungarian Nazis and forced to march for many miles. Magda was picked up due to her work with the Dutch/US underground, not because she was Jewish. After walking many miles, men and women were separated, and marched in different directions. Henrik looked back at his daughter, as if to say, "I love you! It will be alright." That would be the last time Magda saw her father.
Magda was forced to walk many miles and was then taken by cattle rail car to Strausshof an der Nordbahn, a concentration camp just outside Vienna, Austria, populated with Catholic Priests, gypsy children, and other prisoners of war. She had a remarkable drive to survive, a drive to return to rescue her remaining family. She had great loyalty!
Magda showed loving compassion for those suffering alongside her, and she generously cared for fellow prisoners in the very worst of circumstances, holding many as they died. She remained a prisoner there until the Russian Red Army liberated the camp in April 1945. Russian troops encouraged her to go west to freedom, but Magda insisted on returning east to Budapest, to rescue her mother, grandmother, and little brother George. Magda hitched a ride with Russian troops heading back eastward.
Budapest was still an active war zone, with Russian troops fighting Hungarian Nazis. Magda found her mother, grandmother and brother alive, in an artillery damaged building, without food, electricity, water or heat. An elderly couple in the same room were deceased and frozen. She helped other refugees to secure food and blankets from sympathetic Russian troops.
At great risk, Magda traveled to Austria, hiding in the coal of the engine car on a Russian troop train, in hopes of finding her beloved brother Janos, last known to be at Mauthausen, Austria. Janos' camp had been liberated by the US Army in May 1945. Janos was found and hospitalized in an American Displaced Persons (DP) hospital, where he passed away on Sept. 2, 1945, and was buried in Linz, Austria. She was devastated to learn he had died and had to return to her family with the tragic news. Years later Magda discovered her father Henrik had been killed shortly after they separated on their march out of Budapest where they were taken by Hungarian Nazis. Magda carried great grief and sorrow over the loss of her father and brother every day of her long life.
Magda returned to her mother, grandmother and little brother George in Budapest and eventually, at great risk, obtained papers to flee Hungary for Austria. They successfully arrived at the US DP Camp Bindermichel in US occupied Linz, Austria, where they would live. Upon arriving, Magda was summoned to the US Army Occupation Governor General Collins. He knew of her fluency in five languages and of her courageous work with the Dutch/US underground in Budapest. Magda worked directly with General Collins as his translator.
While living in the DP camp, Magda met and married Dr. Michael Reizes in 1948 in Linz. As the DP camp was to be disbanded, they obtained documents to immigrate to Venezuela where Michael had a teaching position with a university there. Magda took a position at a travel agency, where her knowledge of the world, language abilities, and interpersonal skills shone brightly. The two principle owners of the agency and Magda launched VIASA - Venezuelan International Airways in 1960. Magda and Mike celebrated the arrival of their son Henry in March 1952.
In the same year, the family made a temporary move to Miami, Florida, where Magda would establish the first USA VIASA operations location. In anticipation of a move to New York, to open the USA headquarters for VIASA, construction began for the future family home in Yorktown Heights, NY.
In the 1980's, Magda received a message from the US State Department stating that Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands would like to meet Magda in KLM's Royal Room in Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY. As Magda met the Queen, she inquired as to why she was invited. Queen Beatrice asked if she could kiss Magda, which she did, twice on each cheek, and then the Queen gave Magda a hug. She said, "Thank you for all you have done for the Dutch!"
Magda and her brother George donated documents to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and were honored guests at the museum's opening in the spring of 1993.
Magda's husband Michael Reizes passed away on Sept 27, 1976, at the age of 71, in White Plains, NY and is buried in the White Plains Rural Cemetery, the same cemetery where Magda's grandmother Rose Links Neuman and mother Bertha Neuman Mezei are buried.
Magda married second husband Norman Lapedus on April 17, 1983 in Palo Alto, California. Norman passed away in January 2016, with Magda holding him.
Magda and her younger brother George enjoyed a very loving relationship and always lived close to each other. George passed away on May 28, 2020, as Magda held him. They were both living at Sunrise Assisted Living in Gilbert, Arizona.
"I was always for my family and for the people who were in trouble—all my life!" said Magda.
Magda is survived by her son Henry, wife Mauri, and son Charlie Reizes of Mesa, Arizona, she is a Grandmother of Ariana Ziskin-Bailey (Husband Steven), and Great Grandmother of Caspian and Lennox Ziskin-Bailey, a niece Irma Rose in California, Great Aunt of Rachel and Katie in Oregon, and Great Aunt of Ryan in Massachusetts, First Cousin of Peter Mezei in Australia, and via his lineage to at least 8 others in Israel and Spain, and dear Family Friends Lianne, Alan and Spencer Holt in Mesa, Arizona, and Melanie and Bob Shaha in Gilbert, Arizona.
Magda Lapedus
JULY 18, 1923 – DECEMBER 25, 2022
Obituary of Magda Lapedus
IN THE CARE OF
Lakeshore Mortuary
Magda Lapedus – beloved sister, daughter, wife, mother, and friend – passed away on December 25, 2022, at the age of 99, after a long and extraordinary life.
Magda was born in Budapest, Hungary on July 18, 1923 to Henrik Mezei and Bertha Neuman Mezei, the third of four children. Her older sister Klara died as an infant. Brother Janos was just 15 months older. Magda's brother George was born in 1936.
Magda's childhood was happy and her family life was beautiful. She attended the Juliana Dutch Reform Church and School in Budapest, sponsored by Queen Wilhelmina of the Royal House of the Netherlands, and was a top student. At five years old, Magda could already read and write, and was fluent in Hungarian, English and German.
Magda's parents taught all their children to be kind to all people. They celebrated Christian holidays as well as Jewish holidays and had dear family friends from all religions and work backgrounds.
From 1920 to 1939 and beyond, the Hungarian government decreed a series of anti-Jewish laws. Those of Jewish decent were no longer permitted to occupy intellectual posts, serve in various professions, and hold state-sponsored jobs. Jews were deprived of the right to vote and were banned from local spas and markets. Magda's family was forced from their home.
At age 17, as Jewish children were prohibited from attending university, Magda joined the Dutch/United States underground in Budapest. With her excellent penmanship and fluency in several languages, she began creating documents such as exit papers, to save lives. "During war time, you do things you wouldn't do otherwise," Magda said.
Magda's older brother Janos was taken from their family in late 1942 to serve hard labor by the Nazi/Hungarian military. He was taken to several different camps, but by the end of WWII, he was a prisoner at the brutal hard labor camp in Mauthausen, Austria.
During this time, the countries of Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Portugal established "protected buildings" to help save Jewish people. These countries required documents to live at the assigned protected buildings. Magda obtained these documents from the Legation of Spain for her family before she was taken. Her grandmother Rose, Mother Bertha and little brother George were able to escape from the Jewish Ghetto to Spain's "protected building" shortly after Magda was taken.
In October 1943, Magda and her father were taken by the Hungarian Nazis and forced to march for many miles. Magda was picked up due to her work with the Dutch/US underground, not because she was Jewish. After walking many miles, men and women were separated, and marched in different directions. Henrik looked back at his daughter, as if to say, "I love you! It will be alright." That would be the last time Magda saw her father.
Magda was forced to walk many miles and was then taken by cattle rail car to Strausshof an der Nordbahn, a concentration camp just outside Vienna, Austria, populated with Catholic Priests, gypsy children, and other prisoners of war. She had a remarkable drive to survive, a drive to return to rescue her remaining family. She had great loyalty!
Magda showed loving compassion for those suffering alongside her, and she generously cared for fellow prisoners in the very worst of circumstances, holding many as they died. She remained a prisoner there until the Russian Red Army liberated the camp in April 1945. Russian troops encouraged her to go west to freedom, but Magda insisted on returning east to Budapest, to rescue her mother, grandmother, and little brother George. Magda hitched a ride with Russian troops heading back eastward.
Budapest was still an active war zone, with Russian troops fighting Hungarian Nazis. Magda found her mother, grandmother and brother alive, in an artillery damaged building, without food, electricity, water or heat. An elderly couple in the same room were deceased and frozen. She helped other refugees to secure food and blankets from sympathetic Russian troops.
At great risk, Magda traveled to Austria, hiding in the coal of the engine car on a Russian troop train, in hopes of finding her beloved brother Janos, last known to be at Mauthausen, Austria. Janos' camp had been liberated by the US Army in May 1945. Janos was found and hospitalized in an American Displaced Persons (DP) hospital, where he passed away on Sept. 2, 1945, and was buried in Linz, Austria. She was devastated to learn he had died and had to return to her family with the tragic news. Years later Magda discovered her father Henrik had been killed shortly after they separated on their march out of Budapest where they were taken by Hungarian Nazis. Magda carried great grief and sorrow over the loss of her father and brother every day of her long life.
Magda returned to her mother, grandmother and little brother George in Budapest and eventually, at great risk, obtained papers to flee Hungary for Austria. They successfully arrived at the US DP Camp Bindermichel in US occupied Linz, Austria, where they would live. Upon arriving, Magda was summoned to the US Army Occupation Governor General Collins. He knew of her fluency in five languages and of her courageous work with the Dutch/US underground in Budapest. Magda worked directly with General Collins as his translator.
While living in the DP camp, Magda met and married Dr. Michael Reizes in 1948 in Linz. As the DP camp was to be disbanded, they obtained documents to immigrate to Venezuela where Michael had a teaching position with a university there. Magda took a position at a travel agency, where her knowledge of the world, language abilities, and interpersonal skills shone brightly. The two principle owners of the agency and Magda launched VIASA - Venezuelan International Airways in 1960. Magda and Mike celebrated the arrival of their son Henry in March 1952.
In the same year, the family made a temporary move to Miami, Florida, where Magda would establish the first USA VIASA operations location. In anticipation of a move to New York, to open the USA headquarters for VIASA, construction began for the future family home in Yorktown Heights, NY.
In the 1980's, Magda received a message from the US State Department stating that Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands would like to meet Magda in KLM's Royal Room in Kennedy Airport in Queens, NY. As Magda met the Queen, she inquired as to why she was invited. Queen Beatrice asked if she could kiss Magda, which she did, twice on each cheek, and then the Queen gave Magda a hug. She said, "Thank you for all you have done for the Dutch!"
Magda and her brother George donated documents to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, and were honored guests at the museum's opening in the spring of 1993.
Magda's husband Michael Reizes passed away on Sept 27, 1976, at the age of 71, in White Plains, NY and is buried in the White Plains Rural Cemetery, the same cemetery where Magda's grandmother Rose Links Neuman and mother Bertha Neuman Mezei are buried.
Magda married second husband Norman Lapedus on April 17, 1983 in Palo Alto, California. Norman passed away in January 2016, with Magda holding him.
Magda and her younger brother George enjoyed a very loving relationship and always lived close to each other. George passed away on May 28, 2020, as Magda held him. They were both living at Sunrise Assisted Living in Gilbert, Arizona.
"I was always for my family and for the people who were in trouble—all my life!" said Magda.
Magda is survived by her son Henry, wife Mauri, and son Charlie Reizes of Mesa, Arizona, she is a Grandmother of Ariana Ziskin-Bailey (Husband Steven), and Great Grandmother of Caspian and Lennox Ziskin-Bailey, a niece Irma Rose in California, Great Aunt of Rachel and Katie in Oregon, and Great Aunt of Ryan in Massachusetts, First Cousin of Peter Mezei in Australia, and via his lineage to at least 8 others in Israel and Spain, and dear Family Friends Lianne, Alan and Spencer Holt in Mesa, Arizona, and Melanie and Bob Shaha in Gilbert, Arizona.
