 Szathmári's mother (Losonczy-Szíjjártó Margit) came from a pharmacist family in the city of Szeghalom, where she was the sole daughter of the family and lived well.She bore 11 children, of whom only seven grew to adulthood.Szathmári's father was an official of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the family moved often, living in Gyula, Szombathely, Alsókubin, Sepsiszentgyörgy, and Lugos during Szathmári's early years.