Mara Padegs

Mara Padegs

Poughkeepsie - After a short illness Mara Padegs, 88, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2019, surrounded by family and songs.

Mara was born on August 1, 1930 in Riga, Latvia, the daughter of Alida and Janis Berzins. She and her family left Latvia as the Soviet Troops were advancing during World War II. After spending five years in Germany, the last four in a displaced-persons camp, she came to the USA in 1949. In 1954 she married Andris Padegs. After five years in Pittsburgh, PA, where she studied at the University of Pittsburgh, they settled in Poughkeepsie, where Dr. Padegs worked at IBM.

Mara was actively involved with the IBM community and neighbors of sixty years, but she never forgot her Latvian roots. She was a member of the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Yonkers and for many years a member of the Latvian Concert Choir, which has performed in Germany, Latvia and the U.S., including Carnegie Hall in New York City. She was a respected and beloved member of the Latvian community. Mara and Andris raised their children bilingually and instilled an awareness of their Latvian heritage, and are proud that their six grandchildren maintain the language and traditions.

Mara is survived by her husband of 65 years and her three children: Anita Batarags of Upper Saddle River, NJ and her husband Robert with children Nikolajs, Lina and Matiss; Gynt Padegs of Orchard Park, NY and his wife Ilze and son Harris; and Sandra Slokenbergs of Cold Spring, NY and her husband Ivars with daughters Lidija and Marlena. Mara was loved by many for her unconditional love and was deeply devoted to her family and friends.

In keeping with her wishes, a service to celebrate her life will be held later this summer. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (www.okupacijasmuzejs.lv), which preserves the memory of the atrocities committed during the Soviet occupation of Latvia; or to the Latvian Lutheran Church of NY Camp (www.katskilunometne.org).