August 12, 2013
by Jim Bond
Cooyar couple Terez and Michael Kaponay were surrounded by family and friends on Saturday when they celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary.
They married as teenagers at Barcs, Hungary, on July 25, 1953.
But in 1957 – with three children and their country in the throes of a bloody revolution – they fled to Sydney, also taking their 14-year-old brother with their three youngsters.
Michael was trained in hardware and had no trouble finding a job.
After settling down they had another daughter.
As a young teenager their brother George worked with his butcher father settling in to the trade. Later George and Michael set up a business in Hungarian and continental smallgoods.
The Kaponay family travelled Australia on their holidays and were convinced that settling down in Queensland was the thing to do.
They purchased property on the range at Cooyar and Michael, an experienced tradesman built a home aided by his wife Terez, an experienced tiler.
The family now includes eight grand-children and two great-grand-children.
All but one grandson, who was involved with the opening of a new Rebel Sports store in Sydney, joined a huge number of friends and neighbours for the Diamond wedding celebration on the Cooyar property.
Prior to cutting the cake son Michael (Jr) opened the many cards and letters. A photo and a card from the Queen topped the list of well-wishers.
Others to express their good wishes were Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Federal Member Bruce Scott, Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley and Premier Campbell Newman.
Friends came from as far away as Hungary for the occasion.
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A long-time close friend of Terez and Michael flew in from Budapest for the celebrations on Saturday.
Laszlo Perneczky, a nuclear energy engineer, plays the viola in the Cra Camerata Nucleare, a 50-strong symphony orchestra comprised solely of scientists and engineers from the Gundremmingen nuclear power station in Bavaria.
Laszlo presented the happy Kaponay couple with the latest release of a CD produced by the orchestra.
The orchestra has recorded a number of albums but this one, Soli Deo Gloria, was performed in the world-famous Waldsassen Basilica in Bavaria.
It features three recitals, including the St Cecilia Mass composed by Charles-François Gounod.
The conductor of the amazing orchestra is the only professional. The remainder of the members are all nuclear scientists or engineers.
Laszlo has been performing with the orchestra for 26 years.
