Stefan Varga, 87, of Hamden, formerly of VT, peacefully passed away on September 11, 2024, at CT Hospice in Branford. He is survived by his children, Stefanie, Katherine, and Andrew Varga, all of North Haven; ex-wife, Jeanne Verneris; partner, Tina Geoffino of Hamden; nephews, Richard, Attila, and Balasz Varga; and sisters-in-law, Justina and Marika Varga. He was predeceased by his sister, Anna Varga; and brothers, Laszlo, Joseph, and Frank Varga.
Stefan was born on October 24, 1936, in Jászberény, Hungary, a suburb of Budapest; son of the late Janos and Anna (Csak) Varga. In 1956, at the age of 20, he escaped Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution. He arrived in Canada and was taken in by a family where he worked as a blacksmith and learned his trade of carpentry. Stefan immigrated to the United States in 1967 to the state of Vermont. While in Vermont, he became a ski instructor at Mt. Snow, also building houses in the area. Stefan made his way south and settled in Hamden, Connecticut, where he owned a successful construction company until his retirement. After his retirement, he enjoyed traveling with his partner Tina, traveling to visit family in Hungary, several other European destinations, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Stefan loved to tell stories about his fun adventures in life, including his time as tennis pro in Hamden and North Haven, his visits to Vermont with family and friends, his time as a professional soccer player, and his small stint as a movie star where he was a stunt double in a James Bond movie, proudly telling everyone he "skied down the mountain and over a picnic table."
A funeral service celebrating Stefan's life will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. in Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT. Friends may visit with his family from 9:00-11:00 a.m. before the service. For those unable to attend in person, a live stream will be available here: Stefan Varga Funeral . Use password Varga921 for access. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation at www.alz.org . For online condolences, please see his obituary at www.beecherandbennett.com.