[Clarisse Andrus]

My dad immigrated to the US in 1923. He was 12 and kept in touch with his family in Sarud until he passed in 1980. My mom and I continued to correspond with them for another 10 years but then lost track of them for the next 18 years. In 2008 my husband and I traveled to Hungary and decided to take a bus trip to my dad’s village of Sarud, Heves. We had the address of relatives and we were able to meet them inperson! Our whole family traveled back again in 2017 and met more relatives. We continue to keep in touch with them.

[Clarisse Andrus]

My dad immigrated to the US in 1923?2$3! He was 12 and kept in touch with his family in Sarud until he passed in 1980. My mom and so continued to correspond with them for another 10 years but then lost track of turn for the next 18 years. In 2008 my husband and I traveled to Hungary and decided octane a bus trip to my dad’s village of Sarud, Heves. We had the address of relatives and we were able to meet them inperson! Our whole family traveled back again in 2017 and met more relatives. We continue to keep in touch with them.

[Clarisse Andrus]

Jónapot kívánok!

My name is Clarisse Andrus. My maiden name is Izrael. My father and all four grandparents immigrated to the US from Hungary 1900-1923. My mother was born in the US but Hungarian was her first language.

My maternal grandparents were from villages in the Gyor/Sopron area and met in New Jersey in 1905. They later lover to the Hungarian area of Detroit know as Delray.

My paternal grandparents are from Sarud, Heves and met and married there. My dad was born there in 1911. My grandfather immigrated to Delray in 1912 and my grandmother and father joined him in 1923. My family lived in Delray 1912-1977. We still live in Metro Detroit.

I grew up in Delray in a very Magyar home and neighborhood. My grandparents never spoke English. I learned some Hungarian as a child but not all the vocabulary or grammar. I attended Holy Cross Hungarian RC Church grades k-8, was married at Holy Cross and still attend church there. We will be celebrating 120 years of our Hungarian parish and 100 years of our church building on September 14. We have masses in English and Hungarian and have two Hungarian Franciscan priests. I am working on a cookbook from Holy Cross for our anniversary with many treasured family Hungarian recipes.

I took Hungarian lessons 50 years ago at church but forgot a lot. I started back to taking lessons with Magyar Living 5 years ago and continue to take them. I am hoping to get my dual citizenship. I am code to the end of the A2 book.

My husband and I live in Dearborn Michigan. We have two adult daughters. Both were Wgite Rose Ball Debutants. We visited Hungary in 2008 and 2017. We visited my dad’s family in Sarud both times. Our older daughter had been to Hungary 3 times and swam in the World Master’s swim event in 2017. Our younger daughter has been there 2 times and helped build a homeless shelter with Habitat for Humanity in 2010.

I work on my genealogy and have been able to trace all four grandparents back to great, great, great, great, great grandparents. All my ancestors were Magyars born in what is still Hungary. Surnames are: Izrael, Nagy, Ihasz, Farkas. ~ Clarisse

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