Kiski Luminary

BRIGITTA JOHANNA SZILAGYI (1938 - 2019)

When we consider our favorite subject in high school, or our best academic experience, no one remembers their favorite textbook. It is the teacher we remember. It is the teacher that makes the difference. The knowledge the teacher brings of his or her subject along with the driving desire to share this information can shape the life of a student forever. Excellent teaching is an art. It takes years of dedicated practice, fine-tuning, and growth through error by the practitioner to achieve excellence. Hours of preparation mixed with some boldness, pedagogical talent, knowledge, and dedication come together to produce an outstanding teacher. At Kiski we have enjoyed the blessings of many superb teachers over the years. This section of the Bulletin is dedicated to honoring excellent Kiski teachers, our Luminaries. In this space, we remember teachers who shared their brilliance and enlightened generations of Kiski Boys.

Mrs. Szilagyi was a beloved member of the Kiski community for 50 years. Knowing what his mother meant to his Kiski brothers, her son, Steven T. Szilagyi ’88, deferred the honor of writing her luminary passage to the Kiski Boys from the past half century. Editing these heartfelt expressions down was an impossible task. Thank you to all that submitted your reflections, even if they could not be contained here. Here are a handful of their messages to Steve and his father, Tamas:

GREG ZEIGLER ’64 Brigitta was all warmth, smiles and loveliness. I had many aunts growing up at Kiski but she was one of the sweetest. I don’t remember a harsh word—ever. And for a little kid from Saltsburg, I was getting to know and admire a couple from another country. Brigitta took the “foreign" out of "foreigner" and replaced it with it comfortable, familiar. I learned a lot from her. A wonderful woman.

CARL KALNOW ’68 Your mother was a beautiful lady who was always kind in the dorm (Clark), at the dinner table, and in the library where she was most helpful. Kiski would not be the same without her loyalty! I was privileged to know her!!

ED MARKS ’68 I spent two years at Kiski. I was a long way from home and pretty homesick and your parents, especially your mom, helped me deal with that in my first couple of months.

WOODY DANFORTH ’72 I have tears of joy and sorrow when I think of our Brigitta. We were all fortunate to have been so included as a part of her world and the Kiski world as it existed within her. I was fortunate to have been in MacColl Hall when Steven was born. Brigitta would tactfully approach the "pingpong" room and politely suggest that Tamas get his *&$ in the apartment and go to bed! I have always honored the dynamics of their relationship and always will, as a parent and spouse. "Faith, Humility and Tolerance". Thank you, Brigitta...Thank you, Tamas... and Thank you, Joe Millar. Kiski was a better place with the unconditional commitment of our Brigitta.

ROBERT “BUCKY” BUCKINGHAM ’78 She was the perfect counterpoint to your dad, at least to us from the outside. He was always the gruff and tough one, while she was the kinder, gentler soul, and they were great together.

SANDY PIDGEON ’78 She was "Aunt Bridget" to all of us faculty brats. Your father, who will always be my "Uncle Tamas," was one of my favorite teachers. He was definitely the very passionate, boisterous, gregarious, but very informative teacher from whom I learned the dangers of communism. In beautiful contrast, as we all marry our opposites, your mother was the perfect partner to him. She exuded absolute grace, kindness, patience, and caring for every

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(1) Front: Zander Szilagyi ’21, Brigitta Szilagyi, Tom Reiling ’85, Rob Boulware ’82, Back: Carlin Szilagyi, Steve Szilagyi ’88; (2) Front: Brigitta Szilagyi, Sylvio Gallo '82, Back: Adam Gardner '85, George Davison ’82, Bill Gardener ’82, Tamas Szilagyi, Marc Weaver ’82; (3) Front: Carlin Szilagyi, Zander Szilagyi ’21, Back: Tamas Szilagyi, Brigitta Szilagi, Tara Szilagyi, Steve Szilagyi ’88; (4) Brigitta and Tamas Szilagyi; (5) Standing: Zander Szilagyi ’21, Tara Szilagyi and Carlin Szilagyi, Seated: Brigitta Szilagyi; (6) Carlin Szilagyi and Brigitta Szilagyi; (7) Front: Sam Brueningsen, Meredith Brueningsen, Brigitta Szilagyi, Back: Chris Brueningsen, Tamas Szilagyi.

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one of us as well as all Kiski Boys whose lives she quietly touched. Please now know that she is at peace and in the loving arms of Christ. Her service to Kiski and her loyalty to your father is an example for all. GOD Bless.

RICK CURTISS ’81 [Reflecting on his time as a faculty kid watching Mrs. Szilagyi play his mother Georgia Curtiss in tennis]. [I]t wouldn’t take long before things got serious. I distinctly remember Bridget had a deadly topspin. They laughed and had a good time but behind the laughter was Wimbledon-level killer attitude.

LEX WINANS ’83 I remember how she carried herself with such poise and grace. She was such a vital part of the Kiski experience back then. DAVID CONRAD ’85 Bridget above all could take in an army of lonely souls. She could bake for you, cook for you, hug and correct you, laugh with you and still have enough time to kick back and have a drink. She helped make a frightened boy into a better man. I miss her deep deep accent, I miss her late night laugh, I miss the woman who could go head to head with Tamas. I miss knowing: anytime, day or night, any hour, I had another home out there in Western Pa, happy to take me in.

KELLY PIDGEON ’85 She was a gem and one of the kindest people I have had the honor of knowing.

TIM ROSE ’85 For me Momma Szilagyi was a second mother--a stable, dependable, loving mother who nurtured my growth. She helped me fill in the fault lines in my character while also helping me finally breathe a big sigh of relief. At the Szilagyi household, I was safe, I was home. She deeply celebrated the good in others. Like Gatsby, she kindled our drive to "stretch out our arms farther."

DOUG SCOTT ’85 I remember Bridget as being a very kind, sensitive, engaging and passionate person. She was very helpful to me with my German studies allowing for a different teaching perspective when I had hit hurdles. She was a Kiski mother to me.

JIM KNOER ’88 I can only remember her with a smile on her face, warmth in her heart and having an infectious disposition.

BRIAN ELLIS ’94 Brigitta cussed me up a storm when she found out I had married 3 times. But she always had lovely gifts for my children, wives, and my mom. My youngest son, Tamas, is of course named for Tamas. This one hurts badly. Goodbye mutti.

SCOTT KOZUB ’95 Your mom was an amazing woman who filled my childhood with great memories.

CHAD SKENA ’95 I have many fond memories of her in the old and new library. Some people won’t understand how much a woman like Mrs. S. could impact a person’s life like she did mine.

DARREN SILVIS ’96 Warm. Gracious. Caring. These are a few of the many wonderful characteristics that Mrs. Szilagyi embodied as she provided much comfort to me as a wide-eyed freshman adjusting to Kiski life. She was a treasure to Kiski.

JEREMY ENZ-DOERSCHNER ’08 I feel like I almost never got in and out of the library without making conversation. If we didn't have something new to exchange while I was checking out books, we'd always have the same debate over the pronunciation of my name.

KAREN DIORIO (A LEGENDARY KISKI

MOM) We go back 54 years. She was a wonderful lady and a true friend.

DORIT MURCIANO (DAUGHTER OF FORMER KISKI FACULTY MEMBER,

SAL MURCIANO) Your mom was an amazing woman filled with such warmth and kindness. I have such sweet memories of her from our childhood.

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY SERVICES

LESLIE POSTON’S EULOGY: Bridget always, and I mean always, had a project that she was working on. She decorated all

Bridget Szilagyi A Life Well Lived

Bridget was good.

Bridget was kind.

Bridget was artistic and talented.

Bridget befriended all strays.

Bridget was a good listener.

Bridget had gratitude for life.

Bridget had fun.

Bridget was a role model.

I want to be like Bridget when I grow up.

—Judy McAtee (Past Faculty)

of our bulletin boards, and created seasonal displays, flyers and posters. For these many projects, she had loads of supplies all stashed in various drawers, cabinets, bins, boxes and closets. Like many artistic people do, she saved everything. Bits of fabric, ribbon and crepe paper, pages from magazines, colored and printed papers of all shapes and sizes. And anything she created, she saved to use again. At Halloween she bundled cornstalks, and brought in mums. In the spring she brought blooming forsythia in a vase. And at Christmas, she went crazy with garlands, securely attaching them to every surface, sill and doorway with library-grade binding tape. And for awards at the end of the year, she used her prodigious talent for calligraphy and elaborate ribbon-making!

She never slowed down! Never stopped doing things for other people. Even when she needed a walker to get around, it didn’t stop her. And the Kiski boys helped her, walked her to her car at night, carried her bags for her. She just inspired kindness!

THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL CHRIS

BRUENINGSEN’S EULOGY: I first met Tamas and Bridget when I arrived at Kiski as a rookie teacher in 1990. As they did with so many new teachers, they welcomed me into their home as part of their family.

She knew all the boys who visited the library. She cheered them on and congratulated them on their accomplishments. And she was always there to comfort them during setbacks and offer good advice. Bridget was a mom-away-from-home for generations of boys and they’re all better people for knowing her.

Her connection to the boys was always on display for the International Food Festival. Bridget, of course, managed the German table. In later years, Megan and I hosted the cooking at our home, which was an easy assignment since as soon as Bridget arrived she took complete charge of everything. She’d have a group of boys frying schnitzel on one side of the stove while she was giving spätzle-making lessons on the other.

The woman was, in fact, a spätzlemachine. She’d put eggs and flour and the other ingredients into a big bowl, without measuring anything, and mix it all together to create a perfect batter. The batter goes onto a board and, a small bit at a time, gets dragged with a knife into a pot of boiling water. There’s a real art to it and for Bridget, it was not a spectator sport. She’d have the boys come over one at a time. They’d hold the knife and she’d hold their hand to demonstrate the correct drag-and-drop technique until they got the hang of it. It makes me smile when I think about all the grown men who’ve shocked their spouses by saying, “Yeah, I know how to make spätzle!” All thanks to Bridget.

Some people go through life having never encountered a person as lovely as Bridget Szilagyi. We were all lucky and blessed to call her a friend. God bless her for the indelible mark she made on our world.

WELCOME BACK TO KISKI A Q&A Session with the Burans

This July, we were thrilled to have Bramble “Bram” and David “Bo” Buran rejoin the Kiski faculty from their most recent posts at The Albany Academies in New York. Bram rejoined Kiski as the Associate Head of School for Enrollment Management, while Bo assumed the roles of Chairman of the Science Department and Head Football Coach for Kiski. We asked the Burans to reflect on this happy occasion.

What is your favorite memory from your first stop at Kiski?

Bram: I have so many great memories from being here. One in particular, was the fun potluck dinners hosted in faculty homes. We would all bring our favorite homemade dishes along with the recipe to share.

Bo: Wow—so many—beating Shady Side—my school—in football my first season coaching in 1986 when Shady Side came out in ‘BEAT KISKI’ football jerseys…Charlie Kresho’s [’91] wrestling National Championship…Coach Karstadt going nuts at Ryan Jones’ [’98] heavyweight championship…sitting and talking with boys in a McDonald’s after a game or match…listening to Mr. Pidgeon give a talk about Kiski and education. And then, just the great faculty (Mr. Pidgeon, the Kozubs, the Crawfords, the Lombardos, Mr. Vlahos, Mr. Turley [’64] …too many to name) that mentored and taught Bram and me so much. What were your thoughts as you became aware of an opportunity to return?

Bram: Coming back to Kiski is like coming home in so many ways for Bo and me. This is where it all began for us as a family and really was the foundation for our career paths.

Bo: Excited! Three of our four children were born in Latrobe during our time at Kiski and they have so many great childhood memories here so they were all excited about it too!

What were you looking forward to most upon your return to Kiski?

Bo: First, to be back home, it just felt right. Second, we hope to be able to give back to Kiski in the same way that Kiski gave so much to us.

Bram: I am looking forward to being back in a boarding school environment and a part of the Kiski community— spending time with our colleagues, supporting and watching all the Kiski teams, and getting to know the students. What would you say to Kiski alums that are considering their own return to campus to visit or as potential Kiski legacy parents?

Bo: You need to visit! Yes, Kiski has changed, and appropriately so! The facilities are fantastic, but that special sense or feeling of ‘Kiski’ is still here.

Bram: Welcome back! You are part of what makes Kiski such a special place. If you are a potential Kiski legacy parent and are interested in exploring the opportunities for your son, please reach out to the Admissions Office. We’d love to hear from you and see the Kiski tradition continue in your family! You’ll see how Kiski is the same special place you remember in so many ways. There may be some new faces and a few new traditions, but preparing young boys to become confident young men is still at the heart of the Kiski experience. We’re happy to provide you with a variety of opportunities to connect and explore Kiski, either on campus or virtually.