Dr. Stephen L. Zolnay, 81, of Bedford, died on February 22, 2014.

Born on September 14, 1932, in Kunszentmarton, Hungary, he was the son of late Matyas and Maria Zolnay.

Dr. Zolnay came to the United States in 1954 and was immediately drafted into the Army. He served in the Army Signal Corps from 1954 to 1956.

After his military discharge, he started his education and completed his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Electrical Engineering at Ohio State University in 1968.

While studying at Ohio State, he met Elizabeth Versenyi and they were married on July 30, 1960.

Dr. Zolnay had a long distinguished career as an electrical engineer working at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. He retired in 2005 after 37 years of dedicated service.

He was a member of honorary fraternities Phi Eta Sigma, Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi. He was the recipient of the David Packard Excellence in Acquisition award at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory. Dr. Zolnay was also a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club 4000 Footers Club and Appalachian Mountain Club 100 Highest Mountains of New England.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his three children Stephen, John and Karen and their spouses Karen Zolnay and Lance Latham, his six grandchildren, Meghan, Kaitlynn, and Stephen Zolnay, Maya Zolnay and Hannah and Tristan Latham, his brother Matthais and his wife Carmen Zolnay, his sister Theresa Abahazy, his brother Dr. Andrew Zolnay, his five nieces and nephews; Isabel Benny, Matthias Zolnay, Theresa Adams, Susan and Stephen Abahazy, five grand nieces and nephews; Joe, Stephen and Michael Benny, Eric and Rachel Adams and his sister-in-law Maria and her husband Frank Mindt. His brother-in-law, Tibor Abahazy, predeceased him.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Michael Church, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford, on Thursday, February 27th at 9:00 am.

Interment will be at Shawsheen Cemetery in Bedford.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Michael Parish, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford, MA 01730.