Larry Gay

Larry Gay, 92, died June 5, 2016, with his family nearby in Rochester.

A funeral Mass will be held at Pax Christi Church on Thursday, June 9, 2016, at 11 a.m., with Father Joe Fogal officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, and one hour prior to the service on Thursday at the church.  Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery with military honors provided by American Legion Post 92.

He was born Aug. 10, 1923, in Bridgeport, Conn., to Emil Daniel and Helen (Mihalich) Gulyassy. He was married to Harriet Albertson (Ripley) Gay, who preceded him in death in 2013 at age 90, and they were wed in Paris, France in 1952. His father was a Byzantine Catholic priest ordained in Canada after emigrating from Hungary with his wife to begin a parish in Bridgeport.

Larry was an avid linguist, historian, lawyer, businessman, musician, and sports enthusiast. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Yale in 1946 with a BS in botany, and Harvard Law School in 1949 JD, magna cum laude.  He was editor of the Harvard Law Review in 1948-1949. He served in the US Army as 1st Lt. 1943-1946 as a tank driver but probably was never promoted because he lost a tank later found in North Africa. He began his law practice working for the US High Command in Germany and then returned to New York in 1953 to resume a law practice at the firm of Debevoise, Plimpton, and McClean. He began his business career with Hewitt-Robbins in 1958 before eventually moving to Hawaii in 1967 and became chief financial officer at AMFAC Inc. in Honolulu residing in Kailua, Hawaii, where he raised his family and had his home until moving to Rochester in 2013. He was a world traveler, achieving million-miler status decades ago with many miles still behind a propeller. He was president of the Honolulu Symphony from 1974 to 1978 and later returned to practice law at Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn, and Stifel until 2009.

Larry was the eldest and was preceded in death by his parents, sister Martha Brennan (Luke Brennan), brother, George Gulyassy, and granddaughter, Nora Elizabeth Gay (Peter and Wendy).

He is survived by younger brother, Paul Gulyassy (Davis, Calif.) (June Gulyassy) and Robert Gary (Burbank, Calif.) and several nieces and nephews. He had four children, Noel Laurence (Morgan Hill, Calif.) father of Larry's grandchildren Dustin Laurence (San Jose, Calif.) and Josie Basanese (San Jose, Calif.) (Jeremy Basanese), and great granddaughter Madison Hope Basanese. Noel's wife Kathleen has three children Nichole Rhodes, Kurtis Rhodes, Phillip Rhodes. His second son, Peter Clement, married to Wendy Sue (Erickson) have two children Samuel Laurence (Eagan, Minn.) and Anna Elise (Ames, Iowa) and grand dog, Maxwell aka "Drop Kick."  His daughters are Marguerite Susan Gulyassy and Georgette Anne Parrish (Boulder, Colo.) (Martin Parrish) parents of Larry's grand dog, Wiki.

He was a familiar "front row" member of Pax Christi Church and resided at Homestead in Rochester. He will be remembered for his special grace, unquestioning love and guidance, and his ability to solve incredibly challenging problems: "I have no idea what to do, let's ask Larry." Much Aloha to great-grandfather, grandfather, father, husband, brother, friend and mentor.