Edith Halasz

Edith Anna Halasz, nee Megay, our beloved mother, wife, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully in Santa Fe on May 5, 2023, after a long illness. She was 86 years old. Her family forever will miss her warmth, strength and kindness.

Edie was born on September 22, 1936, in Encs, Hungary, the younger daughter of Laszlo Artur Megay and Magdolna Lippoczy. She endured years of upheaval in her home country before escaping to the United States following the 1956 Hungarian Uprising. At a refugee camp in Austria, she reconnected with acquaintance and fellow refugee Andrew Halasz. The two fell deeply in love and sought each other out upon their separate arrivals in the U.S. They exchanged wedding vows on April 27, 1957, and celebrated 66 years of marriage just before Edie’s death. Together they raised three sons, putting down roots in Passaic, N.J., and later in Crystal Lake, Ill.

Throughout her life, Edie took great pride in caring for her family — and often that meant feeding them. She cooked delicious Hungarian meals and baked cakes and cookies that filled everyone’s hearts and tummies. She adored music, especially opera, a love she shared with her husband. Always learning, she traveled the world with Andy after their children were grown, exploring new places together, from China to Africa. Her laughter and silliness brought her family great joy, and her resilient spirit and strong voice amazed and inspired them.

Edie is survived by her husband, Andrew, Sr.; sons Andrew, Jr., (Kerry) of Santa Fe, Peter (Sheila) of Crystal Lake, Ill., and John (Dawn) of Rye, N. Y.; grandchildren Erin Halasz (Andreas) of Albuquerque, Sarah Graham (Robert) of Albuquerque, Katy Halasz (Ben) of Los Angeles, Lindsey Shaffer (Kevin) of Wauconda, Ill., Dean Halasz of Littleton, Colo., Joe Halasz of Rochester, N.Y., Julie Halasz of Rye, N.Y., and Jimmy Halasz of Madrid; great-grandchildren Oliver, Marshall, Sybil, Julian, Niko and Judson; a niece, Ágnes Várhelyi, of Miskolc, Hungary; and a great-niece, Marianne Együd (George), of Chicago.

The Halasz family would like to thank the caregivers at the Montecito Memory Care Community for their loving attention over the past two years, and Del Corazon Hospice for making Edie’s final days restful.

A memorial and reception in Edie’s honor will be held Friday, May 12, at 2:30 p.m., at Rivera Family Funeral Home, 417 Rodeo Road, in Santa Fe. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions in the memory of Edith A. Halasz to the Dementia Society of America, P.O. Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901, or online at www.dementiasociety.org/donate.