Thank you for visiting the memorial site of Charlie (Charles) Budai. The site will be populated with pictures, biographical information, anecdotes, and remembrances of this special man. Please be sure to check back for more content.
Charlie was born Budai Károly (nicknamed Karcsi) in Miske, Hungary on October 4, 1932. During the tumultuous years of his childhood, Hungary was occupied successively by Germany and Russia. In these hard times, young Charlie learned many lessons, particularly from the example of his mother, Anna. She would send Charlie out into the streets on Sundays to look for strangers to invite in for dinner. The family sheltered Jews at the risk of their own lives. And as a teenager Charlie risked his own life to help ensure that local farmers had enough food to feed their families.
At the age of 17, Charlie trusted in Jesus Christ as his personal savior. It is this knowledge that gives hope to his family as we look forward to seeing him again some day.
As a result of his involvement (in a non-fighting capacity) in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Charlie was forced to flee his homeland. He chose to settle in the United States, where he arrived in November of 1956. Charlie immediately set out to become an American: learning English, becoming a citizen, and pursuing his dreams in a new land.
In 1963 Charlie met and married Joan Gleason, his wife of 47 years. Together they shared careers in commercial fishing, dairy farming, and hospitality. (They ran a bed and breakfast, “Hospitality Plus,” in Anchorage, Alaska.) After a full life, Charlie passed away on May 11, 2011. He is survived by Joan and by three children (Mark, Anna, and Lydia) and eight grandchildren.