[UPDATE: A memorial service will be held for Dick Uyvari on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m. at the Center on Halsted.]
Richard M. "Dick" Uyvari, a longtime participant and supporter of Chicago's LGBT and AIDS organizations, died Sept. 2. He was 71 and preceded in death by his longtime partner Joe LaPat, who died in 2008.
Uyvari was a critical part of the Chicago sports starting in the 1970s. He also played a role in the national gay bowling movement, helping host the International Gay Bowling Organization (IGBO) tournament in Chicago, and he played in most of their tournaments.
Uyvari also competed in almost every Gay Games (winning a gold, a bronze, and two silver medals as bowling team captain), and helped run the bowling tournament at Gay Games VII in Chicago in 2006. Uyvari and his partner were key donors to the Gay Games in Chicago. They were also key donors to numerous gay and AIDS groups, including Center on Halsted.
In the mid-1980s, one of their properties in Uptown became the first residence opened by Chicago House for people with HIV/AIDS. That same home was later used as part of the set for the gay holiday film Scrooge & Marley.
In recent years, after Uyvari and LaPat were inducted in the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, Uyvari was a key volunteer, fundraiser and treasurer for that organization as well.
Before the couple retired, they were real estate investors and businessmen on Chicago's North Side. They were together since 1969.
According to his Hall of Fame biography, Uyvari had been president, secretary, or treasurer of more than a dozen Lincoln Park Lagooners and Metropolitan Sports Association (now Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association, CMSA) bowling leagues and he had served on the boards of the Lagooners, CMSA and IGBO.
During his sports association board service from 1985 to 1991, CMSA became Chicago's largest LGBT sports organization.
In 1983, Uyvari was co-director of "IGBO 83 CHICAGO," IGBO's third annual tournament, which brought 576 gay and lesbian bowlers from throughout the United States and Canada to a sold-out Waveland Bowl.
In 1988, he founded the Chicago Pride Invitational bowling tournament, and he was involved in many bowling fundraising activities. From 1983 to 1992, he co-founded and co-chaired Strike Against AIDS, which raised some $500,000 for AIDS-related agencies.
Uyvari and Peg Grey were the first co-chairs of Team Chicago in 1985, prior to Gay Games II. In 2006, he became co-director of the bowling event for Chicago's Gay Games VII. He and his committee worked tirelessly for five months to produce for nearly 600 bowlers what may have been the most successful and best-run Gay Games bowling event.
Uyvari and LaPat, were honored at a 2006 Gay Games celebration for their philanthropy. They sponsored the lesbian soccer team from Soweto, South Africa, as well as other athletes from around the world through large donations to the Gay Games VII Outreach Scholarship Fund. After the Gay Games ended with some remaining debt, the couple also pledged a $125,000 match to other funds raised, helping the Gay Games in Chicago break even on expenses.
In 2009, the Federation of Gay Games presented a Legacy Award to Uyvari and LaPat for their outreach and scholarship support.
His survivors include Mary Terez Carter, Joseph Uyvari, Michael Uyvari and Christopher Uyvari. He was preceded in death by his spouse Joseph LaPat, both of his parents, and two brothers As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to Misericordia Heart of Mercy, Chicago or Center on Halsted.
See his 2007 video interview for the Chicago Gay History project here: chicagogayhistory.org/biography.html and also here http://chicagogayhistory.org/biography.html?id=620.
Also see www.glhalloffame.org/index.pl .
Related coverage at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Remembering-Dick-Uyvari-/52696.html .
