THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS UNION COUNCIL #4504 IS HONORING PAST GRAND KNIGHT STEPHEN A. NAGY III AT A DINNER BEING HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH AT THE COUNCIL HOME ON 1034 JEANETTE AVENUE IN UNION, NEW JERSEY. STEVE WAS GRAND KNIGHT FOR 2013-2014. STEVE WAS BORN ON MARCH 11, 1957 TO STEPHEN AND ELIZABETH (ELSIE) NAGY AT ST. PETER’S HOSPITAL IN NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY. HE WAS WELCOMED INTO THE FAMILY BY HIS BIG SISTER CAROL ANN AND HIS GRANNY KATHRINE, ALONG WITH A WONDERFUL HUNGARIAN COMMUNITY OF EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS. STEVE LEARNED EARLY IN LIFE THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVING AND CARING FOR THOSE AROUND YOU.
STEVE’S FATHER WAS ALWAYS LENDING A HAND AT THEIR CHURCH, ST. LATISLAW’S, FIXING AND REPAIRING PROJECTS THERE, AT THE ELKS AND FOR ALL THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHEN THEY NEEDED ASSISTANCE. SADLY, STEVE’S DAD PASSED AWAY WHEN HE WAS STILL A TODDLER, BUT HIS MOM, ELSIE AND HER CLOSE-KNIT VILLAGE OF WARM AND CARING HUNGARIANS HELPED IN THE GUIDANCE OF STEVE AND HIS SISTER INTO BECOMING THE WONDERFUL AND GIVING PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE TODAY. STEVE HAS ALWAYS HAD A TALENT FOR TAKING THINGS APART AND PUTTING THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. STEVE LOVED TO WORK ON CARS WITH HIS FRIENDS IN HIS BACK YARD, LOVING THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING AN OLD JUNK TO RUN AGAIN.
AFTER GRADUATING FROM ST. PETERS HIGH SCHOOL, STEVE WORKED AT THE NEW BRUNSWICK POLICE DEPARTMENT AS AN AUTO MECHANIC. WHILE THERE, HE TOOK AND PASSED THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM AND WAS HIRED AS A CORRECTIONS OFFICER AT THE NEW BRUNSWICK JAIL. A YEAR LATER HE REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE JOB FOR HIM AND HE DECIDED THAT HE WOULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL. HE ENTERED TRENTON STATE COLLEGE’S ENGINEERING PROGRAM AND GRADUATED WITH THE FIRST OF HIS ENGINEERING DEGREES. WHILE THERE HE PLEDGED THE FRATENITY OF SIGMA TAU CHAI AND STILL REMAINS CLOSE WITH HIS MANY BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
WHEN STEVE WAS 21 YEARS OLD HE JOINED THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS IN NEW BRUNSWICK. ONCE HE GRADUATED AND WAS OUT IN THE WORK FORCE, HE WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AT NIGHT AT NJIT IN NEWARK AND GRADUATED WITH HIS 2ND DEGREE IN ENGINEERING – ONE FOR MECHANICAL AND ONE FOR INDUSTRIAL WITH AN ADDITIONAL IN PLASTICS. IN 1986, WHILE WORKING AT A COMPANY IN CRANFORD, STEVE MET HIS STUNNINGLY CAPTIVATING AND ADORING WIFE, CAROL. THEY MARRIED IN 1988 AND LIVE IN UNION. THEY RAISED TWO WONDERFUL KIDS, RACHEL, WHO IS NEWLY MARRIED TO TOM DE NARDO AND STEPHEN, WHO IS A 3RD DEGREE KNIGHT OF THE COUNCIL 4504 FAMILY. STEVE TRANSFERRED HIS MEMBESHIP TO UNION APPROXIMATELY IN 1991. HE HAS ALSO BEEN A REGULAR PARISHONER AT ST. MICHAELS CHURCH IN UNION, ALSO LENDING A HAND THERE TO SISTER ANN DOMINIC FOR HER FOOD AND BLOOD DRIVES. STEVE WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN GARNERING A CHAPLAIN AGAIN FOR THE COUNCIL, FR. NOL FROM ST. MICHAELS. IN ADDITION TO ALL THIS, STEVE HAS BEEN A GREAT PROPONENT OF OUR VETERANS. HE HAS SPEAR-HEADED MANY ACTIVITIES SUCH AS THE MEMORIAL DAY POOL MASS HONORING VETERANS OF ALL BRANCHES OF OUR MILITARY. HE HAS ORGANIZED THE YELLOW RIBBON CEREMONIES AS WELL AS ARRANGING FOR SENIOR MEMBERS TO TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO VIEW “THE PACIFIC” AS WELL AS THE JOHN BASILONE PARADE IN RARITAN. STEVE EXEMPLIFIES FRATERNITY, UNITY, CHARITY AND PATRIOTISM.