Bert Szabo, WRA's Last Farm Manager, Turns 99 This Week

Last week, the Akron Beacon Journal's front page carried a story about Bert Szabo, who is celebrating his 99th birthday this week, on Wednesday, Dec. 11. His service at Western Reserve Academy is mentioned in the article, which notes that he was chief naturalist at the Akron Metropolitan Parks starting in the late 1950's, and he was the instigator of the annual Fall Hikes in the Parks which have been going on for fifty years. Bert has hiked most of those years.

They are temporarily naming Sand Run Parkway in Akron Bert Szabo Parkway. A few years ago WRA alumnus Donovan Husat and I filmed a program for Hudson Community Television (HCTV) about Bert Szabo and the former Evamere Farm at WRA, which he ran from 1951-1957. Mr. Husat grew up in a house on Franklin Street near the farm.

We had Bert meet us on location where the interview was taped, then we used the presentation at a Hudson Heritage Association meeting. Bert attended and brought down the house with his answers to questions about the WRA farm. HCTV will rerun the program in honor of Bert and his 99th birthday the week of Dec. 16.