Guntis "Gus" Bonders

Guntis “Gus” Bonders

Age 88, of Plum passed away on Sunday, May 9,2021 at UPMC East, Monroeville. Gus was born June 6, 1932 in Liepna, Latvia, the son of Janis and Marianna Bonders. Surviving is his loving friend and caregiver, Mary Ocel, his brother Peteris Martuzs and his wife, Eva and their family of Riga, Latvia along with cousins and their families, all of Latvia. Mourning his passing is the American-Latvian community of Pittsburgh along with many friends and associates.

Guntis and his mother escaped from Latvia as it was being invaded by communist forces during World War II. He spent the war years living in displaced persons camps in Germany. As the war ended the iron curtain went up and there was no returning to Latvia. He immigrated to the United States, settling in Ripon, Wisconsin, and became a naturalized citizen in 1956. 

He was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. degree in electrical engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh. He was employed at Westinghouse Electric Corp., East Pittsburgh in the field of Manufacturing Engineer, specializing in master coils and winding large rotating apparatus.

For many years Guntis was active in the American-Latvian Association of Pittsburgh and the Latvian Lutheran Church. He held various leadership positions in SME, was a member of Kappa Eta Kappa, engineering fraternity and the Latvian fraternity, Imantica.

Throughout his life Guntis traveled extensively, he loved sports, especially hockey and enjoyed attending the Olympic Games, golfing, soccer and bowling were also favorites.

Friends will be received from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 14, 2021 at the WEDDELL-AJAK FUNERAL HOME, 100 Center Avenue, Aspinwall, 15215. Burial will be private at the Latvian Memorial Park Cemetery in Elka Park, NY

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