Laszlo P. Horanyi

Laszlo P. Horanyi, died on August 22, 2011, surrounded by family in the comfort of his home in Kingwood Texas,. He was 86 years old.

The son of Jon Pogald-Horanyi and Maria Gabor, Laszlo was born on June 1st, 1925 in Budapest, Hungary. He came to the United States in 1949 to pursue the American dream as told to him by the American soldiers who had helped him leave Hungary at the end of World War II.

In the United States he pursued his education at Beaumont College in Texas and graduated from the University of Tennessee. The Reserve Officer Training Corp (R.O.T.C.) program earned him his U.S. Citizenship and led him to a long career as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

At the University of Tennessee he met an international student from the Philippines who would become his wife. In 1955 he married Benedicta Macariola Horanyi; they had 5 children, Maria, Patricia, Laszlo, Gabor, and Tanya. As a military officer the family lived in many places including Fort Dix, New Jersey, the U.S. Panama Canal Zone, San Antonio, Texas and Tucson, Arizona.

Due to medical reasons, Laszlo retired from the U.S. Army. In 1966, he moved this time to California to pursue his second career as a Dietician. For many years, Laszlo and his wife Benedicta ran a successful consulting company called Hospital Dietetics Consultants Inc., which served many hospitals in the Southern California area.

Laszlo was a strong, hardworking man that lovingly provided for his family. His favorite hobbies were flying private planes, traveling the world and deep sea fishing with his family and friends. He enjoyed meeting new people and cooking huge meals to share with everyone. Laszlo always remembered the kindness of the people who opened their homes to him when he first came to the United States. Because of this, Laszlo and Beny always welcomed international students into their home near Cal State Northridge. Family celebrations often resembled an "International Food Festival" to be shared with many of the students from all over the world who became family.

In 2006, Laszlo and Beny moved to Houston, Texas where he made many friends in their Kingwood neighborhood. He regularly attended services at Saint Martha's Catholic Church. Though it was often very difficult for Laszlo to travel because of his severe arthritis and need for dialysis, he enjoyed visits from family and friends.

An intimate Military Memorial service will be held in California in the fall. He is survived by his devoted wife Benedicta "Beny", 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 3 great-grand children and many friends who loved him. We will miss him very much. "Grand Pappy" will always be in our hearts.