Ilona Kozmon
(March, 2009)
A Hungarian flag greets visitors at Ilona Kozmon’s door in building 5. Ilona has a fabulous apartment filled with fine art, overlooking a deep ravine. "I just have a grand view. The minute I saw this apartment, I said, I want this!" she says. Her apartment is filled with large contemporary paintings. Most of the paintings are the works of her son George, who is a Gates Mills resident, and an accomplished and important Ohio artist, who also runs the Cain Park Art Festival. Ilona has a fine handmade contemporary wood table in her dining room built by a local artist.
Ilona moved to Hamlet from Euclid a year ago to be closer to her two sons George and Laszlo (who is a management consultant), and her two grandsons. She enjoys playing Chopin on her piano. Ilona lives independently at Hamlet. She drives to the Wellness Center in Solon three times a week where she walks on the treadmill, and works out on the weight machines.
Ilona was born in Komarom, Hungary and came to America in 1951. Her father was an officer in the Hungarian Army. The entire family and her new husband came to escape communism and to seek a better life. Soon after they arrived, her husband George was drafted. After the war was over, he earned an engineering degree at Fenn College on the GI Bill. The family came to America with nothing and worked hard. Ilona worked at Halle’s and had to quickly learn the language. She says, "Everyone there was so nice to me!" After the Russians left Hungary in 1993 and the country was free, Ilona and her husband made four trips back to Hungary.
Her husband was an engineer with Reliance Electric. He rose to become Manager of European Operations and traveled the world. The family lived in Switzerland for four years. They took many trips to the mountains with their boys. "This was the most beautiful time of my life!" she says.
"I’m so glad there are so many art and theater shows and culture in Chagrin Falls. I love it!" she says. Ilona likes to attend Chagrin Valley Little Theatre plays and Chagrin Foundation for Arts and Culture Chautauqua programs.
Hamlet is so fortunate to have the delightful, cheery, appreciative Ilona Kozmon as a resident and America has certainly benefited from the talented Kozmon family.
