Obituary for Joseph Richard "Dick" Palagyi
Dick Palagyi passed away June 28, 2023.
He was born June 25, 1937, to Hungarian immigrants Steve and Rosalia Palagyi, at Camp 3 in Roundup, MT. He was the youngest of 3 siblings and had a free-range boyhood. playing in the hills and fields with many friends. The family moved into the north side of Roundup when he was in grade school and “Ice Cream Hill” was one of his favorite playgrounds.
Proud of his Hungarian heritage, he enjoyed it all, from the language, music and especially the food. His mother was known as the best cook in the valley, and everyone loved her potica.
He attended primary school at St. Benedict’s Catholic School and was an altar boy. In the summers the coal mines were idle, so the family packed up the camping gear and went to the Snowy Mtns where they fished every day and Mom canned the fish!
Dick went to Roundup High School and participated in all the sports available and graduated in 1956 and later attended college at Dillon and MSU-B.
Since he was young, he always had a job, selling the Grit paper, working for various grocery stores and ranches and gas stations. After high school he worked for the State Water Board and then the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1959 he married Sandy Flo and they started their married life traveling with the seasons, Texas and New Mexico in the winter and back to Montana in the summer, where they had 2 sons, Mike and Dan. After 13 years of the gypsy life, they moved back to Montana and Dick worked for Morrison Maierle Engineering in Helena as a surveyor before moving back to Roundup. He worked for Darigold and for Musselshell Valley Equipment as a car salesman until his retirement.
Dick had many interests, enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing golf, and belonged to the Search & Rescue, Ducks Unlimited, Tri-County Sportsmen, and Lions Club, where he enjoyed participating in the Follies. Who could forget him dancing in a hula skirt!
His first car was a Model T and he drove a Model A to high school. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and he and Sandy made many trips on his Gold Wing.
They also enjoyed Dixieland Jazz and went to many festivals in the U.S. and Canada, but his favorite music was polka, and every Saturday night was Molly B Polka Party.
In later years as his health declined, he took an interest in reading and his favorites were westerns. He like to keep in touch with the Roundup-Klein group in Billings, monthly visiting with old friends.
Dick was outspoken, exasperating but never a bore. He liked to tease and loved a good joke.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother and a sister. Survivors include his wife Sandy, brother John, sons Mike (Brenda), Dan (Tarri), Granddaughters Cassidy (Bly), Jordon (Phillip), great-grandchildren, Lucas, Tucker, Lauren, Adam, Hallie, Dawson and Quinton and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial Services will be held at a later date.
To plant a tree in memory of Joseph Richard "Dick" Palagyi, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Celebration of Life
Friday
11
Aug
1:00 PM
Musselshell County Commons
620 2nd St. West
Roundup, MT 59072
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