Lee (Leila) Dioszeghy, 85, of St. Albert, passed away peacefully on December 3rd surrounded by her immediate family.
Born in London, England Lee came to Canada “for good” in 1967; prior to having lived and traveled all over the world. From her teenage days right up until early 2022 she was consumed by wanderlust; seeking adventure, immersing herself into the culture and communities of far flung locations. Lee was driven by the idea of truly getting to know the people of the world, experiencing and understanding their beliefs and their way of life firsthand. Travel was her life blood. If she wasn’t off exploring or planning her next adventure, with a well executed itinerary, she was sharing stories about the people and places she’d visited. She was a student of Le Monde who inspired others with her belief that life is not meant to be lived in one place.
She was a selfless Mum whose actions continually prioritized supporting her daughters’ independence and well-being. She led by example, never parenting from a place of judgment, lectures or guilt; offering her opinion or advice only when asked. None of life’s challenges stood in the way of her pragmatic disposition and she had an innate way of pivoting with the times, establishing relevance and friendship in every room she graced.
The last decade was one that she dedicated to fitness and well-being – her vocation was an inspiration to all. Her dedication to walking every day never waned even on freezing winter days she would say - “I must, because I can."
Lee was an active member of THE GANG – Grandmothers of Alberta for a New Generation.
These Edmonton area grandmothers extend themselves to help African grandmothers – who are often the primary caregivers to their grandchildren, having lost their daughters to AIDS. Serving as the treasurer for over a decade; she applied her professional acumen to support their executive team and together this exceptional group of ladies have raised more than a million dollars in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Lee was a trailblazer of solopreneurship; in the early eighties when her daughters were in school, she ran a home-based bookkeeping business that supported many local St. Albert businesses and also gave her independence and empowerment to plan her next adventure. At that time, she was also very involved with the Girl Guides of Canada and dedicated countless hours supporting junior leadership, outdoorsmanship and mentoring girls long after her own daughters were involved. As a long-standing member of the St. Albert Tennis Club, she formed many friendships over the decades that culminated into a special group of ladies - The One and A Half Club - they regularly gathered long after their knees stopped chasing tennis balls.
Lee was predeceased by her husband Thomas Dioszeghy. Mum/Grandma leaves behind her loving family: daughters Susan Dioszeghy and Julie (Dioszeghy) Woolsey and sons-in-law
Jonathan Beatty and Mel (Richard) Woolsey. Her 3 grandchildren Connor Woolsey who affectionately referred to her as G-Ma, Ayden Woolsey and Abigale Dioszeghy Beatty.
A celebration of her epic adventurous life will be held in the St. Albert Botanical Garden in June when the sunshine will warm our spirits and the fragrant roses will fill the air. Please defer flowers or donations until arrangements have been formalized.
Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
