Canadian / Hungarian Roots
Ron grew up in the small industrial and culturally diverse town of Welland, Ontario. It is about 20 miles outside of Niagra Falls in southern Ontario. His father worked at Atlas Steel and his mother played the organ.
There were three major waves of Hungarian immigration into Canada. Between WWI and the Depression rural workers arrived searching for work and a better future for their children. After WWII, the largest wave of immigrants and displaced persons found their way to Canada. Following the Hungarian Uprising in 1956, many Hungarians fled their homeland to gain political freedom. By 1961, Hungarians made up 20% of Welland's population.
Ron's grandparents came to Canada from Hungary. His father grew up on a farm in Canada's western province of Saskatchewan. Ron grew up speaking Hungarian as well as English in his home. Ron graduated from Welland High School. At that time he tok great interest in languages studying French, Spanish, and Latin. From high school Ron traveled south and attended the University of Tampla, Florida. He graduated college in 1970, with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics. It was in college that he met his wife, an artist. After they finished college and got married they lived in Toronto, Canada for 7 years then later moved to Richmond, Virginia and Coral Gables, Florida, before finally settling in Sykesville, Maryland. They have 4 children and are proud to announce a granddaughter as a new addition to the family.