George "Tom" Thomas Fekete

UPDATE: George's Celebration of Life will be held on Friday May 20th, 11:30AM - 2:00PM, at Shadow Lake Golf Club (Lake Room), 1850 Five Mile Line Road, Penfield, NY 14526. The schedule will include welcome and mingling from 11:30am-11:45am, followed by 30-45 minutes of eulogy, readings, music and memory sharing as a fitting tribute to celebrate George's life with family and friends. A buffet luncheon will follow. Photos and other memorabilia from George's life well-lived will also be on display. Please click on "RSVP Here" (below) by May 9th as we need to provide a final luncheon count to Shadow Lake ten days prior to the event: RSVP Here George’s love of life didn’t end with his peaceful passing in Rochester, NY on February 8, 2022. Although he died at age 78 after a brief, courageous battle with cancer, he lives on in the hearts of his loving family and many dear friends. Born in Buffalo, NY on January 21, 1944, George a.k.a. “Tom” was proud growing up in its Riverside neighborhood. His caring parents, Mary Rydzyk Fekete and George Fekete (both predeceased), encouraged him by word and example to pursue a life of inquiry, accomplishment and fulfillment. George grew up in the same two-family home as his cousin Don Schabek and they developed a loving brotherly relationship over the years. George was predeceased by his cousin Don Schabek of Rhode Island. He is survived by Don’s wife Mary Schabek, Don and Mary’s sons: Mark Schabek (Kellie Musci) and Jim Schabek, Jim’s daughters: Caroline and Cecelia; cousins Ronald (Beatrice) Curtin of Forestville, NY; cousin Joyce Curtin of Amherst, NY; and many longtime friends of Rochester, NY. George admired and greatly loved Don, Mary, and his entire extended family. George played hockey as a youth, developed a lifelong love of reading, and became an avid skier, sailor, sports car enthusiast and photographer as an adult. He was a serious numismatist (coin collector) and philatelist (stamp collector), and took special pride in his niche coin and postal history collections which focused on his Buffalo heritage. He served as President of the Rochester Numismatic Association in 2017. George lived life to the fullest, and enjoyed taking on new challenges and adventures, even checking off skydiving from his bucket list at age 70. George graduated from Buffalo’s Hutchinson Technical High School in 1961, and completed his AAS degree in Metallurgical Technology at Erie Community College in 1965. He moved to Rochester, NY that same year to begin his career at Xerox Corporation. His love of science lead him to earn a BS in Physics in 1971 and MS in Materials Science in 1973 at the University of Rochester. In 1986, he earned an MBA in Finance at the University of Rochester through the Xerox Executive Development Program. George enjoyed a long and fulfilling career in research and development, finance and program management at Xerox and retired in 2000. He continued to enjoy all of his hobbies, but most of all he appreciated being enriched by every personal relationship with his family and his wide circle of friends. Burial will be private. Please include your memories of George, a.k.a. “Tom”, along with any photos you wish to share. If you would like to honor George’s life, please make a contribution in his name to Literacy Volunteers of Rochester at LiteracyRochester.org or to the charity of your choice.