Zsolt Vigh

On September 16th, 2026, our Apa (Zsolt Vigh), husband to Elizabeth, father to Richard and Zsolt Jr, and grandfather to Blaise, Anna and Thomas passed away peacefully.

Zsolt was the second of three children born to Erzsébet (Elizabeth) Schuták and Szilárd Vígh in Szeged, Magyarország (Hungary) in the winter of 1943. Zsolt’s childhood was one of hardship, losing his father, an officer in the Royal Magyar army, during the Second World War. However, Zsolt was unbowed by the hardships in front of him. From the earliest age he sought to help his widowed mother in any way he could, while also building his independence streak, ever present to his last days. During his teenage years, he famously had smuggled in, and assembled, a short-wave radio, secretly listening to Radio Free Europe (Szabad Európa Rádió) in the attic at night, risking arrest from the Communist authorities. From an early age, he showed the courage and conviction to stand up for what he believed in.

At the age of 26, dissatisfied with the state of affairs in communist Hungary, he decided to seek a new future. While visiting relatives in Yugoslavia, he took a ferry to Bari, Italy, seeking refugee status. Canada accepted him soon thereafter, with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society sponsoring his airfare.   

Zsolt arrived in Calgary in 1969. He attended St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish, of which he was an active member for over 50 years. In Calgary, he met his wife, Elizabeth Kottmayer, to whom he was faithfully married for 53 years. Together, they bought their family home and poured everything they had into raising their two sons, Richard and Zsolt.

He instilled in his boys his most deeply held values of resilience, hard work, and honesty. Values he lived by his whole life. Arriving in Canada he taught himself cabinet making, creating beautiful pieces that adorned his family home. Late career he re-invented himself, attending SAIT and graduating with honors, working as a power engineer into retirement. He fixed anything and everything and figured out how to solve any problem. He simply never gave up. He always told his boys you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it.

Zsolt was a deeply active member of the Hungarian diaspora community in Calgary, while also working hard to become a Canadian. He worked tirelessly to ensure that the Hungarian language, history and culture was passed on to the next generation, while also actively engaging in civic life in Calgary.

Zsolt spent his spare time tending to his ever-growing garden, going on fishing trips with his boys, and spending family vacations at Radium Hot Springs. Later in life, he developed a love of cooking, and baking for his family as well as his beloved grandchildren.

He expressed his love for those around him through his actions, in what he gave rather than what he said.

May he rest in peace, in the eternal embrace of the Lord.

Nyugodjon békében, Jézus, Mária szent nevében.

Zsolt (1943 - 2026) is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his son Richard (Priscilla) and grandchildren (Blaise & Anna), his son Zsolt (Élise) and grandchild (Thomas), and by his sister Mária (Imre) and her daughter Olga (Harrison). Zsolt was a Godfather to Monika Kázár and Peter Hartmann. He is predeceased by his brother, Szilárd Vigh, and his nephew, Zsolt Vörös.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the St Elizabeth of Hungary Church here in Calgary (https://saintelizabethcalgary.com/index.html). Zsolt dearly loved the Hungarian parish and would want to see it thrive for another 100 years.

Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at Evan J. Strong Funeral Services South (5502 2 Street SW) on Thursday, September 24, 2026 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church (819-13 Avenue SW) on Friday, September 25, 2026 at 11:00 am, with Graveside Service to follow at Eden Brook Memorial Gardens.  Following the Graveside Service, a reception will be held at Evan J. Strong Funeral Services South from 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Zsolt Vigh, please visit our floral store.