Dianna Schaeffer Adorjan

It was my plan to start this substack with something else, but I have to start it with an obituary. But as this Substack is aimed to bring Hungary and the rest of the World closer together, it is fitting to commemorate someone who helped dozens of Hungarians to learn about America. The obituary of a person whom I met maybe a dozen times in my life but who radiated love and care towards me and  a bunch of other Hungarian and Romanian kids at the Hungarian-Missouri Educational Partnership. 

HMEP was founded and started by Joe Adorjan and the late George Herbert Walker III. Two leaders, successful businessmen, influential members of their community. I had the privilege to be HMEP’s first scholarship recipient in 2007 and dozens of Hungarians and later Romanians followed. 

We are a diverse bunch but we share one thing. Our time in Saint Louis is a highlight of our lives. 

Dianna Scheffer Adorjan had a great and leading role in that. Each and every one of us can remember Dianna’s smile when the Adorjans invited the new students for dinner. Other times, when she wasn’t around, Joe always said: Dianna sends her best. And we knew she did. She was that kind of person. 

I will always remember her like that. The warm smile, the kindness towards the weird bunch of Eastern Europeans her husband decided to bring to Saint Louis to become friends of America. All of us did. All of us call STL our US hometown. And that warm smile has a big part in it.

When I heard the sad news, I looked up some pictures both online and offline. The most recent ones, taken only a couple of months ago, still showed that smile. You may have passed away, but your smile remains with us. 

Rest in peace Dianna.