The Life of Dr. Alexander Havadtoy
Dr. Alexander Havadtoy, Th.D, formerly of Fairfield Connecticut (for over 33 years) and now of Milford died unexpectedly on Monday October 7, 2019. He was age 94, just a few weeks shy of his 95th birthday.
An ordained minister, human rights activist and scholar, he leaves behind his wife Magdalene, formerly of Ontario, Canada. Born November 11, 1924 as an ethnic Hungarian in Covasna ( Kovaszna) Romania. He served as a supervisor of theological students at Yale University for 25 years as well as guest lecturer in the department of History. His monthly religious program on Radio Free Europe spanned a quarter century ( 1967-1992) and reached over one million listeners per broadcast. He traveled regularly to Washington D.C. in order to testify before Congress on international human rights issues. As a deeply respected local community leader he received the “Key to the town of Fairfield “ Connecticut for distinguished service. Son of Member of Parliament and clergyman Alexander Havadtoy Sr. and Suzanna Z. Kovacs Havadtoy, he began his formal studies at Bolyai University. He went on to earn his Doctorate of Theology, summa cum laude, from the University of Basel in Switzerland under the mentorship of the reknowned theologian Karl Barth. In 1952, he accepted an invitation to serve in Canada where he met his wife Magdalene who studied at the conservatory of music. There he aided more then 200 families relocating from Eastern Europe during the Hungarian revolution of 1956. In 1960 , Dr. Havadtoy then accepted an invitation to Fairfield Connecticut where he served as a minister for 33 years. He frequently published in ‘American Foreign Policy Institute Journal, Studies of Eastern European Affairs and was written about in both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. In 1992, after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, Dr. Havadtoy returned to his homeland greeted by 30, 000 people in a large stadium. In 2001, he published a book entitled “Comfort my People” and received the prestigious Julianus human rights award for his tireless support of Hungarians living outside her borders.
Dr. Havadtoy leaves behind his two daughters Leila and Sandra and grandchildren Luke and Sasha.
A graveside burial will be held on Tuesday, October 15 at 1pm at the Oaklawn cemetery in Fairfield.