Mathew Liptoi's Obituary
Memorial Celebration of Life - July 24, 2021, 10 AM. Custer Rd. United Methodist Church
Mathew Liptoi, 89 years old passed away peacefully on November 10, 2020, at Highland Springs Sr. Living Community in Dallas, TX.
Born on December 13, 1930 in Gyoma, Hungary, Mathew’s given name was Liptai Matyas after his father. In Hungary, the family name is written first then the given name, which he later adapted to Mathew Liptoi after coming to America on November 6, 1949 and becoming a U.S. Citizen a few years later.
Mathew spent his early life in Bekescsaba Hungary, with his parents and sister Maria on a large property with a fruit orchard and summers on a family friend’s farm. On September 22, 1944, when he was nearly 14 yrs. old, with Hungary located between Russia and Germany and being occupied by Germany; Bekescaba was bombed. A Russian invasion being imminent, the family fled their home that evening. Mathew and his family spent the next several months living in different places including Viechtenstein, Germany where they stayed in an old Castle used to temporarily house displaced persons fleeing from the Russians. After WWII ended and 3 yrs. in Displaced Person’s Camps in Astet and Lexenfeldt, including time spent as a laborer with his father building the Autobahn just outside of Salzburg, the family moved to the U.S., first to West Virginia and later Oklahoma.
These early life experiences had a lasting impact on Mathew’s intense appreciation for the simple things in life, including a penchant for dancing Polka’s and Waltzes and a developed desire to fix or repair anything to continue to make it useful.
Mathew was a veteran of the Marines, having served during the Korean conflict but being fortunate to remain mostly at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina with some deployments to Puerto Rico.
Following the Marines and graduation from the University of Oklahoma City, Mathew was employed with Western Electric Co. working on the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) computing & networking system in support of U.S. air defense systems. During this time, he met and married Hazel J. (Riley) Jones on March 1, 1959. Their marriage lasted more than 60 yrs. until Hazel’s passing on Feb. 1, 2020.
Mathew formed many life-long friendships with SAGE colleagues and families which lasted throughout his lifetime, contributing to the decision for them to move from Montgomery, AL with two children (a third came along 3 yrs. later) to Richardson, TX where Mathew joined Texas Instruments on 10/11/63; a career that would last until his retirement 28 years later.
Blessed with the ability to retire at age 60 and joining Hazel, already enjoying leisure life, they embarked on the next journey of their lives, traveling and adoring their growing brood of 5 grandchildren. Mama and Papa traveled to many places in Europe, revisiting areas from Mathew’s childhood as well as Alaska and Canada. They especially enjoyed traveling with their family, Thanksgivings in Eureka Springs and of course attending all of their grandchildren’s hockey games, dance recitals, cheerleading, theatre and church choir performances.
Papa was known to be the family babysitter for all the grandkids along with Hazel. While Hazel cultivated a “little old ladies” babysitting group that she formed from their time babysitting at St. Elizabeth Seton in Plano, Mathew was known to say that Hazel babysat for the money while he did it for the love. His grandchildren have lasting memories of Christmases at their grandparents and special dishes, like his famous Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage, Thanksgiving Stuffing and “Papa sandwiches” which consisted of whatever the grandkids wanted even if it was just Miracle Whip and bread.
Mathew is survived his children; daughter, Christine Streiff of Allen TX, and her former husband Bob Streiff of Lucas, TX; Son, Bryan and wife Kim Liptoi of Plano TX; Grandchildren, Cory and wife Brandy Streiff and great-granddaughter Madeleine Harper of Celina TX; Shannon and husband Travis Payne and great-granddaughter Riley Marie of Woodlands, TX; Tyler and wife Melissa Streiff, great-grandsons Ryder Mathew and Tanner Hudson of Bulverde, TX; Reverend Macie Liptoi of Dallas TX; Morgan and husband Brian Simpson of Holloman AFB, NM; and nephews, Karl Szabo (Sue), Roman Nemec (Kathleen)and Karl’s daughter Erin Kasa(Matt) and their children Julianna and Joseph.
He is preceded in death by his wife Hazel, his parents Mathew and Maria, sister Maria Longobardo (deceased 2018) and son Stephen Liptoi (deceased 2014).
The family would like to express its sincerest gratitude to all the wonderful caregivers at Highland Springs, Fountain View especially, “Momma” Mary Sempre and Jenifer Moreau of VNA Hospice for being with and caring for Mathew when family were not allowed to visit in person during the lockdown conditions. Any Memorial’s in Mathew’s memory may be made to Alzheimer's Association Greater Dallas in an effort to help end this life-robbing disease.
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