Elisabeth Rath

ELISABETH RATH, who arrived in New York City in 1948 and lived there for nearly sixty years, died after a long illness on Friday, April 18, 2014, at her home in Reston, Virginia. She was 91 years old. Born Elisabeth Chorin in Budapest Hungary, her father, Francis Chorin, was one of the most important political and economic figures in pre-war Hungary. Her mother, Daisy, was the daughter of Manfred Weiss, Hungary's most important industrialist. She was the oldest of three children and lived a life of privilege in Budapest that ended with the German invasion of Hungary. As the result of an extraordinary deal that was brokered by her father, the family was saved and spent the war in Portugal. After they received their American visas, the entire family emigrated to New York where she became active in Hungarian causes. With energy and intellect, she helped to establish the Hungarian House, on the Upper East Side, an institution committed to sustaining the rich cultural life of the Hungarian émigré community. She also played an important role in helping families emigrate from Hungary, particularly after the Hungarian revolution of 1956, coordinating efforts to help them with jobs and resettlement in the United States. As the secretary to her father, she was deeply involved in all aspects of his financial career including investments in New York, real estate and providing venture capital for Gulf and Western, before it became a public company. Her first marriage to Steven Rath ended in her husband's death in 1984. She then married Laszlo de Mandy, who was her childhood sweetheart when she was growing up in Hungary. He passed away in 1999. She is survived by her son from her first marriage, Francis Rath of Great Falls, Virginia and her sister, Daisy Strasser of Vienna, Austria. A memorial service will be held on May 3 at 12 Noon at the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Herndon, VA. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her name may be sent to the "American Hungarian Library" at Hungarian House, 215 East 82 Street, New York, NY 10028.