Ferenc E Rosztoczy

Ferenc Rosztoczy passed away Sunday morning, April 23. He had been in declining health for a long time, and he died peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. Ferenc was born and raised in Hungary. He lived through WWII as a child and the Hungarian Revolution as a young adult. After the revolution he escaped to the U.S., where he arrived with no money and unable to speak English. He wound up at UC Berkeley, where he earned a PhD in physical chemistry (he was pretty smart). He met Diane, married, and started a family while pursuing a career appropriate for his education. In 1975 he moved to Phoenix so he could take over management of Arizona Machinery (the precursor to Stotz Equipment). His life story should be made into a movie someday. Around the dealership he was legendary for his energy, his brains, his direct communication style ("You have gained weight"), and his ability to know everyone that worked at the company. He built Arizona Machinery into one of the most respected John Deere dealers in the country, built Stotz Dairy in 1980, and had a very successful career investing in real estate. Ferenc and Diane raised 4 kids Tom (Jill), Rob (Rachel), Stefi McGeorge (Robert) and Teddy (Ali). They have 15 grandkids. As a family man he set a tremendous example for all of us. Despite his significant work responsibilities, he coached soccer teams, attended meets, games, and other events. He was always there when the kids needed advice or some solid bit of wisdom as they navigated their own paths. He was dedicated to Diane for the entire 53+ years of their marriage. As a member of the community he was incredibly involved, and he has left numerous legacies here locally and around the world. He served on the Agua Fria UHSD School Board for many years. He was honored a few years ago with the inaugural Tin Man Award for service to the local community. Ferenc and Diane started a foundation years ago to provide scholarship opportunities to Hungarian graduate students so they could come study in the U.S. for a year. This past year, he received the Order of Merit from the President of Hungary for his service to the scientific community of Hungary. Because he was 24 when he got to the US, he never lost his heavy Hungarian accent. As a result, there are also a number of 'Ferenc-isms' that many people will remember him by. Ayayay! and Gee Viz!! might be the most well-known, but his soccer players will also remember Vit Feeling!! Teddy was 12 before he realized that the local resort was actually called the Wigwam and not the Vigvom. For his family his greatest legacy will be the wisdom he shared with us over the years, through his words and his actions. He worried that the kids would be children of privilege (we certainly were compared to his childhood) so we all got 'character building' jobs starting at a young age. He taught us to begin with the end in mind and put first things first before the 7 Habits book was written. He taught us that you always shoot straight with other people and your word is your bond. He had high expectations for all of us, but appropriate to our situation. He taught us to never rest on our laurels, but to keep challenging ourselves. He taught us by asking us questions instead of telling us what to do, so that we felt like we were figuring things out for ourselves. There is a passage in the Bible where Jesus talks about grain seed being tossed on the ground and some of it lands in good soil and grows to multiply 100 fold. God found great soil when he planted his seed in Ferenc. Those impacted by his life will continue to bear fruit into the future and the ultimate harvest of his life will continue for years to come. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery and Funeral Home. Visitation and Rosary will be held Thursday, May 4 at Holy Cross (9925 W. Thomas Rd, Avondale, AZ) from 5-7 pm. Funeral services will be Friday, May 5 at 10 am at St. John Vianney Church (800 N. Central, Avondale, AZ), with a reception to follow at the Wigwam Resort (300 E. Wigwam Blvd, Litchfield Park, AZ). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Vincent de Paul, St. Thomas Aquinas Conference, c/o St. Thomas Aquinas, 13720 W. Thomas Rd., Avondale, AZ 85392.