Obituary of Steve Nobi

Steve Nobi, 67, passed away on October 17, 2023 at his home in Boulder, Colorado.  He was born in Hungary on December 11, 1955 to Josef and Edith Nobi.  At age 11 months, he, his parents, and his two older brothers Josef Jr. and Laszlo escaped Hungary into Austria as refugees of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.  His tiny shoe, now bronzed, was dropped during the escape as they pressed through mine fields, barbed wire, and the threat of gunfire at the Austrian border.  His father backtracked through the fields and found the shoe, which was later bronzed in memory of their escape from communism. 

Due to his father’s skill as a woodworker, having perfected his craft while confined to a forced labor camp in Hungary for 28 months, the family immigrated to Loveland, Colorado a short time after leaving Hungary.  They arrived at Camp Kilmer, a refugee camp in New Jersey where Hungarian refugees were processed and they were selected to be sponsored by a local furniture manufacturing business in Loveland.  Here they started a new life and raised two more children, John and Sue.

As a child Steve was involved in Cub Scouts and was awarded the George Washington Honor Medal by former President Dwight D. Eisenhower for an essay he wrote in the Nathan Hale Youth Patriotic Awards program about what freedom meant to him.  Later, he entered and won the 1967 Loveland Soap Box Derby and went on to compete in the national championships in Akron, Ohio. 

Steve graduated from Loveland High School in 1975 and loved to work on and drive his Datsun 260Z all over the county.  He attended Aims Community College for a couple of years via night classes while working a variety of jobs at Hewlett-Packard, Loveland Packing, and other local companies.  He studied and dabbled in audio electronics as a hobby.

Steve had his struggles and was known by his neighbors, friends, and family as thoughtful and generous.  He was mostly a quiet, solitary person throughout his life and never married. 

Steve is survived by his mother Edith Nobi, 90, of Loveland, two brothers and their spouses Laszlo and Sandra Nobi of Fort Collins, and John and Pam Nobi of Stevensville, Montana, and sister Sue Nobi of Loveland as well as numerous nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his father, Josef Nobi, and his older brother Josef Nobi Jr.  He will be sadly missed.

Memorial service will be held on Friday, November 17, 2023 at 10:30am at Viegut Funeral Home with a reception following the service at Viegut Reception Center.