Maria Kemeny

Maria Kemeny, 96, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at Silvercrest Clive with her daughter by her side. Services will be held at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday, December 17 with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and services at 2:00 p.m. A private burial will be in Ames at a later date.

Maria was born March 14, 1918 in Kassa, Hungary to Josef Basco and Elisabeth Tomcsanyi.

In 1950, she married Dr. Lorant Kemeny and in 1955 they had their only child, Marika. Maria loved being a mom, but during the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, as violence erupted throughout Budapest, she agreed to escape socialism and its soviet imposed policies. Thousands died during the fighting, and they were among the 200,000 who were forced to flee. As refugees, Maria and her family were blessed to begin their new life of freedom in the United States of America.

Lorant received an educational scholarship from the U.S. Government and Yale University to acquire his professional credentials and license to practice as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, in exchange for a government position as a scientist. He put in for many transfers to various states in the U.S. and finally settled in Ames, Iowa working for the National Animal Disease Lab. Maria then volunteered and worked for the Red Cross and Mary Greeley Hospital.

Maria loved God and everything about America. She was forever grateful for the chance to be free. She was extremely patriotic and loved all American music, her favorite song being God Bless the USA. In her shyness as a foreigner, she expressed warmth, joy and laughter to everyone she met.

She is survived by her daughter, Maria Hennings; son-in-law, Dave Hennings; and granddaughter, Catherine (20). Lorant preceded her in death in 1999.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Lutheran Church of Hope and Gentiva Hospice. Condolences may be expressed online at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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