Eugene Nagy

Eugene Nagy, 95, passed away peacefully at his home in Upton on Thursday, March 25, 2021, surrounded by family. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 65 years, Alice (Witt) Nagy and is survived by his loving daughter Dr. Sonia Nagy Chimienti & devoted son-in-law Jason Chimienti of Upton, MA; his son Zoltan Eugene Nagy of Ramona, CA; 3 granddaughters, Claire, Sophia and Liliana Chimienti; grandson Dustin Nagy & wife Victoria; grandson Lance Nagy; and great-grandson Landin Nagy.

Son of the late Sandor Nagy & Rozalia (Kovacs) Nagy, Eugene was born in Per, Hungary. He met Alice in a displaced person’s camp in Europe at the end of WWII and they immigrated to Canada together in 1950. Eugene spent his early years in Canada laying railroad ties in Thunder Bay, Ontario, working towards his accounting degree and building a life for his family in his newly adopted home country. He served faithfully as an auditor for the Canadian Government until his retirement, and in the last years of his life, lived with his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters in Upton.

Eugene loved building things with his hands. During the day he worked with numbers and facts, and on weekends he dreamed, created, and worked with tools. He had a uniquely creative and quirky mind, building a summer home from the ground up with a pie-shaped foundation wall and a fireplace built with granite rocks collected from the surrounding property. The buildings he created often had unusual towers, balconies and roof top patios. His family and friends did not always understand what he was building, however they knew it would always be uniquely his vision. He accumulated a large collection of tools to help transform his ideas into reality. When his children gently tried to encourage him to downsize and give away or sell his tools or other accumulated items he would joke “If I can’t take it with me, I’m not going!” In his younger days, he was happiest in his wood shop or working with his daughter, supervising her as she sifted sand for mortar or teaching her how to lay bricks for the foundation of whatever structure he was building. When not using his hands to create something, he could be found in his recliner with a book. He was an avid reader, constantly seeking to learn and grow, and he surrounded himself with books about history, politics and architecture. He loved debating any topic of the day with anyone who would participate, and valued discourse and precise use of language at all times; a dictionary or thesaurus was always within reach! In his later years, he delighted in spending time outside with his grandchildren, watching them work in the garden, play on the swings, shoot baskets in the driveway or ride their bikes. He adored his family, he treasured his life in this country that he loved, and he lived a full and happy life. He will be truly missed, for the loving father and grandfather that he was.

A graveside service will be held at 10am on Monday March 29, 2021, at Lakeview Cemetery in Upton, MA. In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a memorial contribution may consider donating to the United Way of Central Massachusetts Worcester Together Fund. (https://unitedwaycm.org/2020/05/04/worcester-together-fund-faq/)