Janos Istvan Marko

János István Markó
Nov. 18, 1942 – Nov. 10, 2020

János István Markó, 77, passed away peacefully at home in Grants Pass, Oregon, surrounded by loved ones on November 10, 2020.

János (pronounced Ya-nosh) was born on November 18, 1942, in Miskolc, a city outside of Budapest, Hungary. János, Jani (Yaw-nee) to his friends, immigrated to the United States in 1972, eventually settling in Sonoma County, where he was employed at Hewlett Packard in Rohnert Park, California, until his retirement.

In 1975, he welcomed fraternal twins James and Bernadette, followed by daughter Bridget in 1977. In 1990, János married Rosenda Lucy Marko (née “Rosenda Cárdenas”) and they welcomed son Joseph in 1993. Following Jani's retirement in 2002, they moved to scenic Grants Pass, Oregon.

János had both an affinity and love for music. He expressed his talent singing in choirs, playing the clarinet, saxophone, accordion, and harmonica. He also had a deep love of his homeland, Hungary. He kept in touch with family and friends in Hungary, traveled back to visit when he was able, and joined together with his fellow expatriates whenever possible at Hungarian festivals around the West Coast.

One of János’ favorite pastimes was family time. Big or small, he liked planning events that would bring family together. He also enjoyed the outdoors and spending time walking and playing with his beloved dogs. János was quick to laugh and had a wry and mischievous sense of humor. He was sentimental in every way, with mementos displayed and keepsakes stored from all aspects of his life.

János is survived by his wife, Rosenda Marko of Grants Pass, children, James (Kathryn) Marko of Santa Rosa, Bernadette Marko of Santa Rosa, Bridget Marko of Vallejo, and Joseph Marko of Grants Pass; grandson, Keon Rivers of Vallejo; sister, Marta of Hungary; and various cousins and nieces in Hungary.

A private burial will take place on November 28, 2020.