Lawrence M. Smolen

Lawrence M. Smolen, 79, of Ballston Lake, NY, previously of Rochester, NY, passed away at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY on February 1, 2026.

Born in Ford City, Pennsylvania in 1946, Lawrence was the son of the late Joseph and Helen (Sirochman) Smolen. In addition to his parents, Lawrence was also predeceased in 2025 by his daughter Lisa Febre.

After graduating high school, Lawrence earned his Bachelor's of Engineering and used his degree while working as a Mechanical Engineer for the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York, a career that he enjoyed until his retirement in 2005. During Vietnam, Lawrence also enrolled in the Army Reserves, participating in training exercises in case he should be drafted for the cause. He received an honorable discharge for his commitment to the country.

In September of 1972, he married the love of his life, JoAnna Ambrogio, and together they raised their family. They lived in Rochester until 2005 when they both retired and moved to Las Vegas. Lawrence enjoyed memberships through the years with several organizations, to include The Veterans club of Las Vegas, National Rifle Association, Miniature Train Club of Las Vegas, and the Owlkill Rod & Gun Club.

Lawrence first set up his model train at his and JoAnna's retirement home in Las Vegas, eventually expanding it through the backyard gardens with an elaborate system of bridges. There, he shared his love of the hobby with his grandchildren, Andrew, George, and Lily. He devoted countless hours to his model trains, carefully researching and sketching plans for buildings, bridges, and scenery to add to the ever-growing layout in his basement. It was a place where he spent meaningful time with his grandchildren, sharing his passion and creating memories they will always treasure.

He was also an avid firearms hobbyist and collector who enjoyed spending time at the range and loading his own ammunition. He took pride in the technical side of the hobby and approached it with care and discipline. He especially enjoyed sharing experiences with his grandchildren, introducing them to BB guns and teaching them patience, focus, and safety. In his basement, he even created a small practice range, where he spent many happy hours shooting at small targets and passing along his knowledge.

His favorite hobby of all was spending time with his grandchildren. He especially treasured his time with his first grandchild, Andrew. He built Andrew an elevated train track that ran around his bedroom and spent hours crawling on the floor playing with his Thomas & Friends train set. He cherished the simple moments, like racing Hot Wheels cars down the driveway, throwing a ball around in the front yard, and-of course-shooting BB guns in the ditch in Las Vegas.

His time with George was often centered around Legos and their shared engineering minds. Together, they spent countless hours designing and building a custom train engine for one of George's Lego conventions, a project that brought him great pride and joy. He always made a point to see George's newest Lego creation. George also loved spending time in Grandpa's basement with the model train set and BB guns.

Lawrence shared a uniquely special bond with Lily, his only granddaughter. When she was young, he delighted in buying her princess dresses and tiaras, and as she grew older, he proudly followed and supported her passion for hockey. From time to time, Lily could also be found shooting BB guns with Grandpa in the basement, both of them impatiently waiting for Grandma to call them up for dinner.

Lawrence leaves behind his wife of 53 years, JoAnna Smolen; their son: Todd (Melissa) Smolen; son-in-law: Louis Febre; and three grandchildren: Andrew Jenkins, George Smolen, and Lily Smolen.

A period of visitation will be held from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at Catricala Funeral Home, 1597 Route 9 Clifton Park, NY 12065, with a Memorial Service immediately following at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, if you'd like to make a donation in memory of Lawrence, please consider giving in his name to the American Cancer Society online at www.cancer.org.