Dr. ANNA (“Ann”) SZIGETI (born Kepets, February 20 1931 – February 7, 2017). Died peacefully in her 86th (almost 87th!) year after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s. We are grateful to Dr. Joyce Lee of the North York General Geriatric Outpatient Service for the last 7 years of incredible care.

Born to Hermann and Margit Kepets (Schonstein) in Mateszalka, Hungary, Ann survived the Holocaust as a young girl of 14 but lost her mother in the camps. Married her beloved husband, Robert Szigeti (born Spitz) in 1964 and lived a full life with him till he left us in 2011. Ann was a certified specialist in internal medicine in Hungary and a sports and rehab doctor in this country, practising medicine for a grand total of 40 years. She was an exceptionally talented physician whose passion for her craft overshadowed any other interests apart from her family. She is survived by her only child, daughter Anita, her spouse Roy LaPorte and the grandchildren she adored beyond all measure, Scarlett Tabitha and Sebastian Zane. Her brother Pista died 25 years ago, but she now leaves her sisters Judit Simai and Agnes Weiszhauz, as well an extended family of nieces and nephews. Ann immigrated to Canada with her family in 1977 and managed to re-qualify as a physician after learning English as a second language in her late 40s. She and Robi built a beautiful life for themselves and their daughter in their adoptive country. Ann tragically developed Parkinson’s disease at 75, the one thing she had always feared. She fought the horrors of the disease with great determination and grace. She was a very brilliant, compassionate, stubborn, hilarious woman who did everything for anyone and everyone who needed help. She devoted her life to her patients and her family.

We will forever miss her incisive intellect, her dark wit, her loving concern for all of our well-being, her generosity and irrepressible life-force. In lieu of anything else, we ask only that you do your part to make sure we never forget. If you feel you must make a specific donation, donate to the Wiesenthal Centre, or to the Michael J. Fox foundation for Parkinson’s research, which would be appreciated.