George Blaise Meszoly of Boston passed away suddenly on June 25, 2024, shortly after an untimely, devastating stroke. He was the son of Karoly Meszoly and Sarolta Erdely; long- time partner of Rebecca A. Brooks of Boston; uncle to Ingrid Meszoely of Nashville and Greta Meszoely of Boston; and brother-in law to Janice Meszoely of Nashville. He was pre-deceased by his brothers Charles and Laszlo.
George was born in a displaced person’s camp for Hungarians in Bavaria on October 19, 1946, and grew up speaking Hungarian and German. After the family came to the US they settled in Boston, where George attended Boston Latin School, and subsequently attended Harvard, where he majored in linguistics and Far Eastern languages. After two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea and another year there on a Fulbright lectureship teaching English and Manchu to Koreans, he attended Columbia University, getting his advanced degrees in linguistics and Uralic languages. He also studied Hungarian historical phonology, dialects and related languages. Another degree, in electronic engineering and computer science offered him a successful career as a software engineer, from which he retired. He lived in Back Bay, and delighted in a car-free life, walking each morning to his favorite café for his espresso and newspaper. He performed in various amateur theatricals and films, led over 20 years of seminars in historical topics for Beacon Hill Seminars, and was active in social and theatrical functions at the Tavern Club. He loved classical music, demonstrated by an over 40-year BSO subscription. He was an avid and skilled sailor, who could be seen in Boston Harbor and beyond on his 37-foot sailboat IRLBACH (named after the Bavarian town where he was born.) He is the co-author of Encounter English, an innovative pre-internet home-study course in English as a Foreign Language, published by Encyclopedia Britannica. His many friends, colleagues, students and fellow thespians were shocked to hear of his unexpected death, and sorely miss his quirky wit, wide-ranging intelligence, and seat at the table.
A private Celebration of Life is planned after Labor Day in Boston. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor can be made to Boston Latin School, Beacon Hill Seminars, or The Tavern Club.