Dr. Leslie G. (Laszlo) Szmolyan, one of Alberta's precedent-setting lawyers, passed away on Saturday, January 27, 2007 peacefully, but suddenly in Calgary, where he had lived since graduating from the University of Alberta, MCL, L.L.B. summa cum laude.

Dr. Szmolyan left Hungary where he had practised law as a Barrister and Solicitor following the Hungarian Revolution; he arrived in and traveled across Canada by train where he discovered the place he came to love and call home - Calgary and the mountains and wilderness of Alberta's landscape. Dr. Szmolyan will be remembered for his very wry sense of humour, irrepressible charm, his tenacity and love for the law, as well for the attention and grace he shared with family, friends, colleagues and complete strangers. As a lawyer he will be remembered for his ability to analyze issues from positions never before considered and for pushing the envelope without truly offending anyone on the bench. He did so in a facile and erudite manner. He found time to be a dedicated horseman, an ardent opera fan and world traveler. North and South American adventures were shared often, as were those of Europe, the Indian subcontinent and Africa. Dr. Szmolyan retired in 1996 but continued with law books and heated debates over what he read about in a law journal, Time or the Economist.

National Geographic was another window as were the adventures of his four daughters, he is survived by Sharon M. Szmolyan and son Aundene, Patricia E. Szmolyan, Suzanna I. Morrow and husband Patrick, sons Patrick and Ryan, all of Calgary and Nancy G. Spinetta and husband Lt. Col (Sel.) Lawrence, children Lauryn, Alexis and Lars Peter of Virginia, USA as well as their mother Elizabeth Szmolyan. Numerous relatives are in Hungary and Austria. Dr. Szmolyan's only sister Marianne Piazzoli of Rome passed away in 2004.

Funeral Mass celebrated at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church (819 - 13 Avenue S.W.) on February 2, 2007.

From obituary published in the Calgary Herald from 1/29/2007 - 1/31/2007.