Geza Dombi |
Geza Dombi
Geza Dombi was an early glassblower for physics department. From a 1966 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) newsletter, “Geza has a working knowledge of the operating principles of high- vacuum systems. He is experienced in making and assembling pumps, cold traps, valves, gages, and other components that go into such systems."
Acknowledgement: Much of the material below came from the book "Leave If You Can, One Man's Journey From Transylvania To Freedom" by Geza Dombi as told to Kimberly Dailey, Dog Ear Publishing, 2014.
Geza was born September 25, 1925, in Martinis, Harghita, Romania to Frank and Julianna Geza, a Baptist family. He was one of seven children born by Julianna, though one was still born and a second died at age five. His siblings were Julianna, Frank, Margaret, Joseph. His father was an accomplished furniture maker in the village.
After Hitler came to power in Germany, Romania joined the Axis powers. Geza witnessed persecution of Jews in his village. In 1940, Northern Transylvania was given to Hungary, hence Geza served in the Hungarian army during WWII. After the war ended, Geza chose to live in Austria to avoid the Communist takeover of Romania. He supported himself by working for various farm families. Eventually he decided to go to England, however after a short stay, he changed his mind and left for America where his father knew a man in Los Angeles who would sponsor him.
He arrived in New York City on June 9, 1951, on the SS Britannic. There the Travelers Aid Society provided him $75 so he could take a bus to Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs Denes Fanchal welcomed him into their home and he began working in a steakhouse as dishwasher, busboy and janitor. Unhappy in this work, Geza joined the US Army and served in Korea and was awarded a Bronze Star.
While in the army, Geza met his wife, Melba Love Burghard Benedek, a widow with two children, Rose and Elek, they had a daughter, Victoria. Geza became a citizen when discharged from the army. He next moved his family to Chicago where he took a job with a landscaping company and finally a machine shop. He went back to school and earned his GED and then enrolled in classes at Chicago City Junior College.
Soon the family moved to Austin where he entered the University of Texas as a part-time student. Geza started working with glass in 1957. Geza writes, "I found myself once again a jack-of-all-trades, this time in the university's physics department. One day I was told of an Air Force project that I would be trained to work on. "We would like you to assist with a project that involves glassblowing. I know nothing about blowing glass. Thanks okay," my supervisor offered. "We will teach you everything you need to know." It sounded intriguing and had to be a step up from the odds and ends jobs that I had done up until now, so I agreed. Soon, I found myself in a basement room of the Physics Building. It was dark, full of cobwebs, and poorly ventilated, not quite the exciting opportunity I had imagined. For five years, I blew glass, developed my technique, and spent over a thousand hours of my own time honing my skill. (Note by Mel Oakes—During this time it is likely that Geza was blowing glass for Professors W. W. Robertson and Hans Schlüter, both were needing discharge tubes and had contracts with Air Force.) It was hard work, and much of the time, I wanted to quit. "This is it! I will not do this anymore!" I'd say to my supervisor. who would replay, "Geza, you are doing such a great job. The skills you are developing will lead to future opportunities and, quite frankly, we need you." I would relent and go back to the lab and continue." The long hours in the lab took its toll on the family and Melba and Geza divorced.
Though he was the chief glassblower for the physics department, in 1963, he took a job at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado. Students and faculty had attended a conference in Boulder and had returned with glowing reports of the beauty of the state. At NBS he made vacuum systems, laser tubes, many other instruments even thermos bottles. Geza writes, "It was intricate complicated work that required me to understand chemistry and physics. I successfully created instrumentation of a graded seal that could not be replicated in Europe. Geza took up skiing and became accomplished, eventually volunteering with the National Ski Patrol doing rescues. He also served as a special deputy for the Sheriff of Boulder. At work, however, he was ready for a change. He moved to National Center for Atmospheric Research in December of 1965 to take on the job of setting up and running their glass-blowing shop. The job paid more. About this time Geza had a daughter, Angela, out of wedlock. He and the mother both agreed that to marry would be a mistake. In 1968, Geza married Nina Perry. In 1972, Geza received a patent for an original design of a wedding cake ornament.
In 1973, Nina and Geza had a son, Sandor. They divorced in 1986. Geza later met and married Thelma Black and moved to St. Louis, MO. He died in Springfield, MA on August 22, 2017. He donated his body to St. Louis University.
Book by Geza Dombi as told to Kimberly Dailey.
In 2014 Geza published a book about his life, "Leave if You Can: One Man's Journey From Transylvania To Freedom." Here is description: "Religious persecution and political unrest in the years marching toward World War II colored Geza Dombi's childhood. Born into a poor but loving family in 1925 in Transylvania, he was drafted to fight for the Axis powers in the Hungarian army when he was 18 and served as an Austrian farmhand after the war rather than return to a country under Communist rule. Geza found his way to the United States to pursue freedom, seizing every opportunity he can. Despite little knowledge of English, he convinced an Army recruiter to let him serve his newly adopted country, first as a soldier in the Korean War and then blowing glass scientific instruments for the government. "In Leave If You Can", Geza shared his life's story from his first memories as a toddler to physical violence by brutal authorities and his arrival in New York harbor with hope in his heart. The eighty-eight-year-old's adventures include keeping bees, serving on a sheriff's posse and the National Ski Patrol, playing the harmonica and traveling across the country. Geza's story serves as a reminder that hope, faith, and inspiration can lead to freedom and grace." Below is photo of Geza and Melba with co-author of book, Kimberly Dailey
Kimberly Dailey, Geza and Thelma Black Dombi.
| Geza Dombi Photo Album |
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