Leslie Joel "Les" Szigethy

Les Szigethy passed away on January 11, 2026 in Portland, Oregon, at age 78 from Parkinson's Disease. He is Survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter, Mandy; son, Steve; granddaughter Brynn; and brother, Neil.

Leslie Joel Szigethy was born in Somers Point, NJ, in 1947 to parents Louis and Lillian Szigethy of Dorothy, NJ. Les grew up in this close-knit rural community surrounded by multiple generations of family. By the time he graduated from Vineland High School in 1965, Les had developed impressive musical talent and experience, focused on accordion, saxophone and string bass.

Les received both his Bachelors and Masters in Music Educations from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). It was here that Les met his wife, Barbara Tritask, of Cranford, NJ. Les and Barbara married in 1968 - a bond that would last over 57 years.

Les had a varied career in several locations. He was a public school music teacher in 1970s Brown County, Indiana. Les moved back to New Jersey in 1978 to take over his father's home building business, which he and Barbara ran for nearly 30 years. Les and Barbara moved back to Indiana in 1993, to Florida in 2007, and finally to Oregon in 2009 - the latter to be closer to their two adult children. In addition to building homes, Les also worked in affordable housing development and home inspection.

All the while, music performance remained a cornerstone of Les's life. From casino gigs in Atlantic City, to community orchestra in Indiana, to bar gigs in Florida and Oregon, Les was a natural on stage. Most often he played electric bass during his prime performing years, but after retirement, Les came full circle and returned to the accordion. He also recorded dozens of his own compositions using multi-track technology.

Les will be greatly missed. An extrovert who could get along with almost anyone, Les lit up every room he entered and brought joy and humor to his family and friends. While Les likes a good party, his last wishes were to pass without a formal ceremony, and to have his ashes scattered in nature. We encourage you to share your memories of Les on this webpage.