Gary Bodas

Gary Bodas, 97, passed away on July 26, 2025. Gary was born in Kupiskis, Lithuania on April 18,1928 to his parents Isaac and Sara. He was preceeded in death by his loving wife, Pera, who he was happily married to for 65 years, brothers Boris and Schmuel and his sister Rosa. Gary is survived by and will be deeply missed by his sister Zina and brother Chaim, two daughters and their husbands Asia and Paul Winterstein and Masha and Isaac Keren, four grandchildren Noah, David, Joshua and Sarah, and great-grandchildren Yaakov and Yael. He leaves a legacy of courage, kindness and optimism to his daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Gary is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. Gary, a Holocaust survivor, lost his father during the Nazi persecution and assumed responsibility for the care of his mother and siblings at the age of thirteen. Gary and his mother and siblings survived the war by traveling east on foot and by train and making their way to a collective farm relatively removed from the Nazi invasion. After the war, Gary met his wife Pera in Vilnius in 1957 and they were married after a courtship of 1 month. In 1959 they emigrated to Israel, and then to America in 1962 to join Pera's mother and siblings. Gary worked for a short time as a mechanic, but soon realized he had a strong desire to be self-employed and to work on his own terms. This led him to the decision to work independently, buying and selling scrap metal to companies in Ohio and Indiana until he retired. Gary was very outgoing by nature and enjoyed the company of friends and relatives. A graveside service will be at 9:00am, Wednesday, July 30 at New Agudas Achim Cemetery, 2565 Performance Way, Columbus and officiated by Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann and Rabbi Josh Warshawsky. Donations in his honor may be made to Jewish Family Services, 1070 College Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43209. (Link Below)