Steve Istvan Petvai, 85, passed away on October 1, 2015 after a courageous battle with cancer at Saint Luke's Cornwall Hospital in Newburgh, NY. He was a resident of Fishkill, formerly Hopewell Junction and Wappingers Falls. He was also a resident of Chagrin Falls, OH, York, PA, and New York City.

Born in Budapest, Hungary on October 13, 1929, he emigrated to the United States in 1956. He attended Technical University of Budapest and Capitol Radio Engineering Institute of Washington D.C., graduating with an M.S. in Mechanical-Electrical Engineering. He married Carol Starkey on August 12, 1961 in Warren, OH.

A Professional Engineer, he was employed for twenty-four years at IBM in East Fishkill until his retirement in 1993. An Inventor, he had twenty-two patents from his work at IBM and other businesses. In 1989, he founded BGT Incorporated, a company that developed and manufactured several varieties of nutritional supplements.

He is survived at home by his wife and best friend of 54 years Carol; son John and fiancée Annmarie DeCicco of Wappingers Falls; son James of Fishkill; grandchildren Erika-Leigh Dennison and AJ Reuss; great-grandchildren Jai Mosley, Jayda and Jizelle Bonaventure, Jaxsen and Bentley Reuss; and many family members in Hungary and Romania. He was predeceased by parents Sandor Petvai and Olga (Feniasz) Petvai Vasvari and stepfather Victor Vasvari.

He enjoyed the beach, ice skating, and ballroom dancing. He was a member of Poughkeepsie-Arlington Rotary Club and a previous member of local Orders of Moose and Elks. He and his wife resided several months each year at their condo in Largo, FL, spending much time by the ocean.

Calling hours will be held on his birthday, Tuesday, October 13th from 4-8 pm at the McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, 1089 Main Street, Fishkill. A memorial service will be at 7 pm.

Steve had a great love of nature, home gardening, and local agriculture. Donations may be made in his memory to Healthy Harvest CSA, PO Box 113, Stormville, NY 12582. For driving directions, online condolences, or memorial donations, please visit Steve's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.