REV. DR. IMRE BERTALAN
(June 3, 1918-July 10, 2008)

        The Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan was born in Nyirtass, Hungary.  He was the youngest of four sons born to The Rev. Imre and Mrs. (Piroska Zsolcai) Bertalan.  Rev. Bertalan’s elementary education took place in Hajduboszormeny, and his secondary and theological education at the Kollegium in Sarospatak.  Rev. Bertalan completed postgraduate studies in Halle, Germany and in Basel, Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland.  In late 1946 he arrived in the United States and continued his education at Princeton Theological Seminary.

         In 1948, Rev. Bertalan married Ms. Margaret Kosa, daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Andrew Kosa, pastor of the Magyar Reformed Church, New Brunswick.  During the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, Rev. and Mrs. Bertalan served the Hungarian Reformed congregations in Manville, NJ and Staten Island, NY.  In 1954, Rev. and Mrs. Bertalan, along with their three children, Imre, Lillian and Margaret Sarah, arrived in Passaic, NJ, where Rev. Bertalan served the Hungarian Reformed Church for nine years.  In 1963, Rev. Bertalan succeeded his father-in-law as pastor of the Magyar Reformed Church.

         In 1980, Rev. Bertalan was elected President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America.  He and Mrs. Bertalan moved to Washington, DC that year, which is where he continued to live (Rockville, MD) until his death on July 10th.  Rev. Bertalan served the HRFA as President until 1992.  At the same time, he served, until the present day, as Sr. Pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church congregation, which worships monthly in the Wesley Theological Seminary Chapel.

         Rev. Bertalan received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Debrecen and Hope College, Holland, MI.  In addition to serving the HRFA, Rev. Bertalan was active in the American Hungarian Federation, the Hungarian American Coalition, the Hungarian Scout Federation, the International Hungarian Federation and the Friends of Sarospatak.  In Sarospatak, he and Mrs. Bertalan were instrumental in bringing about the dedication and use of the Bertalan House for students and guests of the Kollegium.  Rev. Bertalan was also asked by former President Jimmy Carter to represent America at the Helsinki Accord Conference in Madrid.

         Rev. Bertalan preached for three decades on the airwaves of Radio Free Europe and the Voice of America.  He authored many articles for both the American and Hungarian press.  His two, most noted volumes are entitled:  “Az Újrakezdes Népe” (Passion For New Beginnings) and “Ott ülék…? közöttük” (And There….I Sat Among Them).

        The Bible verse which Rev. Bertalan chose as his life’s theme is Psalm 126:6, “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”