An obituary written by Margaret (Ballek) Munkacsy of William Bela Munkacsy, a Hungarian-American IWW member who passed away in November 1970. Originally appeared in the Industrial Worker (February 1971).

Submitted by Juan Conatz on April 27, 2025

Again we lost a strong supporter of the IWW and its varied institutions – this time perhaps the last Hungarian Wobbly in South Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

William Bela Munkacsy joined the IWW in his younger days. The home of the Munkacsys has always been an open house to Wobbly organizers who did not want to give up hope that some day they might have an IWW closed shop at Bethlehem Steel.

Bela was a craftsman and an electrician, and when the Industrial Union movement did not develop to his liking in the mills, he became self-employed. This gave him more time to spread the cause of labor.

Bela was ailing for the past few years, but we never weakened in his Industrial Union principles. Funeral services were private. He was 74 years old. Since the Industrial Worker was his favorite reading I am sending $25 to its sustaining fund in his memory

Mrs. William Munkacsy

Transcribed by Juan Conatz

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