John Staudinger

John Staudinger, 89, of Clifton, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025. Born in Balinka, Hungary, into a poor coal mining family with eight children.  John was prestigiously selected to go to Szekesfehervari Gep Ipari Technikum where he received a Technical Engineering Degree.

John immigrated to the United States in 1956, when he escaped from Communist Hungary, during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. He went to an Austrian refugee camp where he met his future wife and love of his life, Teresa Helyes, who had also escaped from Hungary during the Revolution.  Later they met in NJ , where both had relatives and they later married in 1959. They were married for 65 years and had three children John, Susan and Tom.  They settled in Clifton where he has resided since.

John started his career in America, working as a machinist at Highland Machine for Mr. Martin a fellow Hungarian.  Then he worked at Interstate Tool, until he started his own machine shop in 1963 in the basement of his house on Arlington Avenue, with a $700 lathe. John was the founder and owner of Arlington Machine and Tool Co. in Fairfield. He had a reputation of being strong, energetic leader, passionate about his company, his employees and the machining trade, always striving for excellence and the latest technology. He helped and mentored many Hungarian machinists over the years who escaped from Hungary to get their start in this country. He loved Hungary and helped many of his relatives there over the years.  He loved America, and was grateful for the opportunity it gave to him.

He dreamed of coming to America, in his youth and was truly an example of the American dream, coming here with no money and with hard work and ingenuity he built a very successful business, employing hundreds of people over the years.

John was a faithful parishioner of St. Stephen R.C. Magyar Church in Passaic.  In his free time, he loved being on the water, in his boat, fishing and enjoying the beautiful summer weather off the coast of Long Beach Island.

He was predeceased by his parents, Jozsef and Terez Staudinger; and six siblings.

Survivors include: his beloved wife, Teresa (nee Helyes); three children, John Joseph Staudinger (Ildiko), Susan Blanck (Greg), and Tom Staudinger; seven grandchildren, Matthew Ruppert (Brielle), Nicholas Staudinger, Ashley Blanck, Brian Ruppert, Amy Staudinger, Kelly Staudinger, David Staudinger, one great-grandchild, Lily Ruppert, and his sister Nagy, Eszebet, who resides in Balinka, Hungary.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 28, 2025 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at Bizub-Quinlan Funeral Home, 1313 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 29, 2025 at 9:15 am from the funeral home followed by a 10:00 am Mass at St. Stephen R.C. Magyar Church in Passaic. Interment to follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Upper Montclair, NJ. Memorial contributions may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

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