Friends gone too soon…
Karl Pelkan
In Memory of Karl Francis Pelkan (1959–2025)
After a courageous battle with aggressive cancer, Karl Francis Pelkan passed away peacefully at home on January 21, 2025, at the age of 65, with his devoted wife, Kitty, by his side. Karl was a former director of Ti Ti Tábor during its early years and was an important part of our camp community.
Born in Southern California and raised in the Napa Valley, Karl was the eldest of four siblings. He graduated from Oregon State University in 1983 with a B.S. in Construction Engineering Management. Karl spent much of his professional life in the Seattle area, working for The Vemo Company, Tri-State Construction, and Gary Merlino Construction Company, Inc., where his analytical mind and meticulous attention to detail shone in building and heavy civil construction projects.
Karl’s true passion was folk dancing. Wherever he went, he sought out folkdance communities, and in 1987, while working in Newport News, Virginia, he wandered into a Virginia Beach Folk Dancers event and met Kitty. It was love at first dance. They married, settled in Seattle, and continued to share their love of dance, travel, and crossword puzzles, creating cherished memories together. In Seattle, Karl became an active participant in the local Hungarian folk dance scene, performing with several local groups and sharing his expertise as a dedicated teacher, inspiring others with his skill and enthusiasm.
Karl was a key figure in the early history of TiTiTábor where he served as a camp director with remarkable dedication. His organizational prowess, creativity, and knack for problem-solving came in useful as he helped get camp off the ground by organizing the finances, visas, and other logistical tasks. Campers knew Karl not just as a competent director and excellent dancer, but also as a kind, helpful friend who had a smile for everyone. Even after stepping back from organizing, Karl remained a steadfast supporter of camp, assisting with transportation, hosting, and logistics.
Known for his hearty laugh, sly wit, and inquisitive nature, Karl had a gift for understanding how things worked, from intricate thingamajigs to the stories of people and places. Patricia Wigney, former camp director who worked with Karl for many years, recalls some of her time working with him:
“Karl was one of the kindest people I’ve known, always generous with his time and deeply committed to his work with TTT. His passion for the Hungarian dance community was unwavering, and his generosity knew no bounds. Behind Karl stood the remarkable Kitty. The saying “behind every good man is a great woman” couldn’t have been truer—she quietly did so much that few ever saw.
One of my favorite memories is of Karl and my husband Richard building the dance floor for camp each year. Karl had already drawn up plans and had the pieces cut before Richard even arrived. The two of them spent days installing it—measuring, sawing, making countless trips to the hardware store, fueled by coffee and shared jokes. Karl was relentless in his pursuit of perfection; if he noticed flaws during camp, he’d jot down ideas to improve it the following year and even re-cut parts of the floor mid-camp. That was Karl, meticulous, passionate, and full of heart.”
Karl is survived by his beloved wife, Kitty; his mother, Betsy Pelkan; sisters, Dr. Kathleen Pelkan and Alexandra Olenczuk; and sister-in-law, Pamela Pelkan. He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Karl F. Pelkan, Jr., and his brother, Stephen E. Pelkan. Karl’s spirit will live on in the hearts of all who knew him, forever dancing to the rhythm of a life well-lived. In honor of his enduring contributions and spirit, the 2025 TiTiTabor camp is dedicated to Karl’s memory.
John Parrish
Richard Wigney
In 2012, Ti Ti Tabor lost a dear friend and supporter, Richard Wigney, our wonderful chef. We would like to dedicate the 2013 Ti Ti Tabor Hungarian Folk Camp to the memory of Richard and to extend a thanks to his family who shared him with Ti Ti Tábor for many years.
Richard Edward Wigney, born December 7 1952, of Eugene, Oregon, beloved husband and papa, passed away from injuries sustained in a tragic accident at age 59, surrounded by the ones he laughed with, lived for, and loved on November 2, 2012. He worked for Rainbow Valley Design and Construction as a highly skilled craftsman who had many longtime clients, many of which became his close friends. Richard’s passions included gardening, beekeeping, singing and choral music, and dancing his way through the world with his partner in love and life, Patricia. Ti Ti Tábor campers remember him best as a wonderful friend and chef for our camp. He loved to cook and for years brought his fun-loving attitude and culinary creations to all of us at Ti Ti Tábor. Richard and Patricia both started working as dishwashers in the kitchen at the first Ti Ti Tábor in 1992, and as Patricia moved into camp administration, Richard quickly moved from dishwasher to assistant cook to head chef, a position which he held for at least fifteen years.
Richard’s life work life as a carpenter gave him a chance to solve construction/carpentry problems in an attractive efficient way. This love for using his problem solving skills carried over into how he became head chef at camp. One year, when the current chef wasn’t working out, Richard just told him to leave and took over. So he began the challenge of figuring out how to cook for so many people and certainly accomplished that as we campers can attest to! Richard loved Ti Ti Tábor and wanted to help make it successful. In fact, he told the new organizers last August that we could call him whenever we needed help and he would be there! He wanted to see camp continue. But there was another cause that was even closer to Richard’s heart; advocating for his youngest daughter, Zsofika. He was an ardent supporter to those affected by autism and gave tirelessly of his time to Bridgeway House. In fact, on April 14, 2013, the Bridgeway House sponsored a Richard Wigney Memorial Run for Autism in Eugene, Oregon. You can visit their website at bridgewayhouse.org for more information about Bridgeway House. Richard liked to do special things at camp such as making ‘hot wings’ and ‘bacon candy’ for the band or espresso for early morning risers. The first year in the kitchen, he played Aretha Franklin’s Respect on his boom box and it set the tone for his kitchen…a place of hard work but lots of fun! Our camp community will miss Richard’s warmth and humor, his dedication to camp, his enthusiasm, and, of course, his delicious meals! We were lucky to have him as part of our Ti Ti Tábor family!
Craig Forster
Ti Ti Tábor aims to bring its participants together as a community, in every sense of the word: a group of enthusiasts, a family of “folkies,” and — perhaps especially — a gathering of friends whose common bonds are further strengthened with each camp. Craig Forster epitomized the vision of Ti Ti Tábor camp experience. His warmth, generosity, cheer, and volunteerism helped to make Hungarian events and camps memorable; moreover, he expressed genuine pleasure in continuing the legacy of great Hungarian musicianship. In memory of Craig, the Ti Ti Tábor Board of Directors has established a scholarship to offer assistance in attending camp to one or more deserving applicants.