Steven Istvan Markus

MARKUS, Steven (István) - was born on February 22, 1923 in Vác, Hungary. Steven was a man full of zeal, love of life and determination. He truly was a survivor and endured many hardships all with a positive attitude. Steven along with his brother, Frank, survived the holocaust by escaping a forced labour camp and posing as Hungarian soldiers. Under this guise, they were able to rescue between 250 to 300 children from Munkacsy Street Orphanage in Budapest in January 1945. Steven and Frank guarded the orphanage until the Soviet army put them in a Prison of War Camp. Again, miraculously, they were able to escape the POW camp. After the war, Steven’s entrepreneurial spirit began when he reopened his parent’s grocery store. He also married his beloved Marta on October 27, 1946. They met 10 years earlier and at the time, he viewed her only as a young annoying girl but little did he know that she would become the love of his life for 72 years. Steven and Marta joined the “Haganah Aliyah” immigration to Israel and arrived on June 7, 1948. It was in Israel that Steven’s two children, Susanne and Joseph were born. On December 14, 1959, Steven, Marta and their children moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Steven was always a hard working man, working long hours to provide for his family. It was in Halifax, that his entrepreneurial spirit was set aflame again. He learned how to repair TV sets and opened his own TV repair store on August 1, 1964. Tel-Star TV was known for its honesty with customers and it’s slogan, “Bring your TV - repaired while you wait.” The business grew to include to several locations in Sackville, New Minas and Yarmouth with an expanded offering of stereos, furniture and many large household appliances. In 1996, Steven closed his business and retired. Over his life course, Steven was saved from death by individuals who risked their own lives by doing so. His memory and legacy will be cherished by his loved ones who survive him – his wife Marta Markus, his brother, Frank Markus, his daughter Susanne Baggaley, his son, Joseph Markus, his granddaughters, Tanya Baggaley, Andrea Leblanc and her husband Gabriel and Julia Benoit and her husband Jonah. More details on Steven’s life can be found in his self published memoir, “Miracle Postcards - Two Jewish Brothers in Wartime Hungary." Funeral Service will be held at 2pm on Tuesday, June 5, in Cruikshank's Halifax Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor Street. Burial in Beth Israel Cemetery.