Dr. Rozália Mária Benedek Gál

Dr. Rozália Mária Benedek Gál (Rosalie), 97, passed away in the dawn hours of March 20th at the Edmonton General Hospital Hospice Care Unit. Rosalie was born on July 31st 1928, in Budapest, Hungary to Mária Fekete and Géza Benedek. She and her older brother György were their parents' only two children. In 1952, Rosalie graduated from Pázmány Péter University (Szemmelweiss) with cum laude in medicine, where she met István (Stephen) Gál and the two were married at the Egyetemi Templom (University Church) in 1952. Rosalie practiced pediatric medicine for many years in Budapest after graduation. In 1956, Rosalie and István became separated during the Hungarian uprising. István, who was the default chief of staff at the military Hospital, was forced to flee the country in a convoy of ambulances headed to Vienna. Rosalie, who was the default chief of staff at the 500 bed Children's Hospital, got left behind in Budapest along with 1 year old son Stephen. It wouldn't be for another 7 years until the family was again reunited in Toronto where they lived before moving to Edmonton by 1964. Rosalie and Istvan divorced in 1977, leaving Rosalie to raise her youngest son, Charles, by herself. Stephen, her eldest son, had already started a life of his own with a wife and child by this point. Rosalie spent many years as a doctor in various roles at various Edmonton hospitals throughout her career before retiring early from medicine at age 60 in 1988. She organized the stroke ward and the head injury ward at the Glenrose Hospital between 1979 and 1983. She was also involved in the planning of the new Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital as well as its new geriatric care wing. Rosalie was a kind spirit and someone who delighted in the beauty of life in whatever form it took. She loved nature, figurines, decorations and anything she saw as beautiful. She saw beauty in so many different things and always articulated a zest for life and discovering new things. In 2012, Rosalie was diagnosed with dementia and was cared for at home by her son Charles (and Victoria Szabo) until her passing. Rosalie is preceded in death by her parents (Géza--1985; Mária--1978) and brother (György--1996), as well as her ex-husband, (István/Stephen--1996) Rosalie is survived by her two sons, 3 grand daughters and 5 great grand children: Charles (Victoria) Gal and; Stephen (Susan) Gal and their daughters: Julie (Jason) Schuler; Jenn (Mark) Robinson and their sons, Spencer and Owen; Vanessa (David) Kolstad and their children, Vienna, Archer, and Quinn. The cremation of her remains will take place privately on March 31. The Funeral Mass for Rosalie will be held on Tuesday, April 7, at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of the Resurrection, 10555-50a Street, Edmonton, Alberta.

Dr. Rozália Mária Benedek Gál

July 31, 1928 - March 20, 2026