Obituary of Matthew Moldvan

October 7, 1949 – February 22, 2021

Matthew Moldvan.  Age 71 of Grosse Ile.

Beloved husband of Helen Moldvan.  Loving father of Matt (Heather) Moldvan.  Dearest grandfather of Matthew and Mallory.  Also survived by many cousins and extended family members.

Family Tribute

Born in Halmagy, Romania in October of 1949, Matthew grew up with his brother Arpad and mother in the small village in Romania's Transylvania region.

After a rough childhood and compulsory military service, Matthew attended four-year trade school in Brasov, Romania, where he learned tool and die-making. After some time working in a factory, he chose to instead be a truck driver.

In the late 1980s, in light of the persecution of Hungarians under the Romanian Communist regime, Matthew and his family chose to take the risk of fleeing the country to Hungary. At the time, they were unable to even tell their own family members of their plans, telling family and authorities instead that they only intended to go on vacation and return later.

While waiting for passports in Austria, Matthew took many odd jobs in order to support his family. From working overnight at a printing press to gathering and hauling water reeds in nearby lakes, Matthew always did whatever he could to provide for his family.

After arriving in the United States, he worked hard and continued fulfilling the American dream. He would often take on side projects to supplement income and would take any opportunity to work extra hours. He worked as a mechanic at small auto repair shops, tool and die making at small businesses until finally he was hired as a tool and die maker at Ford Motor Company in the mid-1990s. While at Ford, he also earned a Master's degree in Business Administration. He would later retire from Ford, but wouldn't stay still for long. He longed for something to do and returned to driving trucks after his retirement.

His passions outside of work included fixing cars, metal and woodworking, and tinkering in his shop with computers and engineering equipment. He enjoyed problem-solving and was a strong-willed person, and could succeed in anything he put his mind to.

His hard work, determination, and creativity in problem-solving brought him from a small village in Romania, to being a successful auto worker and small business owner.

Cremation will take place at The On-Site Crematory located within the Molnar Funeral Homes - Brownstown Chapel.

Memorial contributions are appreciated to American Hungarian Reformed Church, 9901 Allen Road, Allen Park, MI  48101.