Charles K. SzaboNaples, FLFreedom Fighter, Teacher, Art Dealer, & Humanitarian. The extraordinary life of Charles Szabo came to an end on March 1, 2017, after a brief but courageous battle with bladder cancer. He was 89.Charles was born on February 24, 1928 in Szeged, Hungary and lived under Nazi occupation during World War II. Following the war his quest for freedom landed him in trouble with the Communists, who imprisoned him. While in custody he met Eva, who was visiting another prisoner, and there began a brief courtship followed by marriage in 1953.After the failed revolution of 1956, Charles and Eva decided to flee the country, along with their young daughter Andrea. Their first attempt was unsuccessful, but they were spared death by a sympathetic guard. They escaped on their second attempt and spent time in a refugee camp in Yugoslavia, followed by emigration to Israel, and then the United States. They arrived by ship and first saw the Statue of Liberty in 1959.Locating in Rochester, New York, thanks to a Catholic relief agency, Charles, while college educated, had to take a variety of jobs while improving his English and earning a Master's degree from the University of Rochester. He would then find a career as a history teacher at Brighton High School, where he taught for close to twenty years.Charles and Eva embraced their new country and became heavily involved in the community. Before long they were opening their house to foster children, and two sisters, Sarah and Margaret Cass, would find a permanent home with them.Charles had an intense interest in art history which prompted him to develop a second career selling antique paintings and establishing the highly successful Darvish Oriental Rugs in Rochester. In 1982 Eva and Charles moved to the then small city of Naples, Florida and in 1983 they opened the Darvish Collection Gallery of Fine Art. Joined several years later in business by their daughter Andrea, and her husband Bill, the gallery would be an Old Naples institution for 32 years.Charles' need for involvement in the community continued, and he was a devoted parishioner at his church, and active in community organizations, and a generous donor to local charities. Most notable was his service on the board of the Seacrest Country Day School, including a term as its Chair from 1996-2002.Family was always paramount to Charles, and he remained patriarch of the many relatives in Hungary as well as those in the United States. He is survived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Eva, daughters Andrea Casement (Bill), Sarah Berg (Ted) of Naples, and Margaret Ferber (Paul) of Rochester, New York, grandchildren Chris Casement, Colleen Kern (Jason), and Alex Casement (Whitney), his sister Ibi Nagy, many nieces and nephews and his adored cat YumYum. Charles believed in people, and was always helping to improve their situations and circumstances. He was a strong believer in education, and even after leaving the formal classroom he could still expound on a variety of topics in a highly informed way. He will be remembered by the many people, students, family and friends that he touched along the way. His strong desire to give back to the community and to those in need is summed up in one of his favorite quotes "If I am not for me, who is for me; and if I am only for myself, what am I. And if not now, when?" (Hillel)A Memorial Service will be held at Palm Royale Cemetery, 6780 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., Naples, on Sunday, April 2nd at 1:00.In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to: The Charles and Eva Szabo Fund for Foster Care, c/o Hillside Children Foundation, 1183 Monroe Ave., Rochester, NY 14620 or Avow Hospice, 1095 Whippoorwill Ln., Naples, FL 34105.For online condolences, please visit fullernaples.com.