Washington, DC – Members of the Hungarian American Coalition (Coalition) were deeply saddened to learn that Stephen Teleki passed away on August 25, 2023, in Oakland, California, peacefully and surrounded by loved ones. He was 89 years old.
Stephen Teleki
Born Count István Béla Teleki de Szék, in Gyömrő, Hungary on April 7, 1934, Stephen was the youngest child of Count Béla Teleki de Szék and Countess Mária Mailáth de Székhely. Raised until the age of 10 in Pölöske, Hungary, he escaped with family in the midst of war by horse and carriage to Austria; only to realize after 3 years they would be unable to return home. His family emigrated to Argentina where he attended high school, and spent his formative years.
Stephen met the love of his life, Beatriz Eggers-Lan, in Argentina in 1959. In 1962 they were married at Purdue University, in Lafayette, Indiana, where Stephen would receive his B.S. in Engineering in 1964. Together they raised two daughters and a son, first in the San Francisco Bay Area, then in Brazil and Mexico, while working as an executive for Kaiser Engineers.
Later he worked in the Telecom industry, first as a business owner of Teleconsult, in Washington D.C., and later with Ameritech International, where in 1993 he was instrumental in their investment of the privatization of Matav, the Hungarian Telecommunications Company.
Stephen was an accomplished mountain climber, an avid biker, skilled tennis player and committed skier into his 80s. In his late 40s, he successfully climbed the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico (17,694 feet) the second tallest volcano in North America. Stephen loved travelling the world with Beatriz, his children, and spending time with family on both coasts, in Argentina, and remaining connected with his extended Teleki family.
He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Beatriz Eggers-Lan de Teleki and his three children; Marianne, Annabelle, and Maximilian; five grandchildren Piera, Gabriella, Tibor, Ava and Naoma; two sons in law, Héctor Salgado and Tim Mansell; daughter in law Wendy Jagerson Teleki, numerous nephews, nieces, and extended family members whom he adored and who adored him.
In lieu flowers, if you are so inclined, the family encourages support of the Coalition’s scholarship programs sent to the Coalition’s mailing address at P.O. Box 57135, Washington, DC 20037 or via PayPal here. A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
The Hungarian American community mourns the loss of a true Hungarian patriot who was a member and a generous supporter of the Coalition. His legacy is an inspiration to all of us.