John Bodnar

John Bodnar, 92, of Onondaga Hill, passed away Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Born in Hrabace, Czechoslovakia, he came to the U.S. at the age of 11. He settled in Dickson City, Pennsylvania and eventually the family moved to Elkhorn, West Virginia where he went to school to become a welder. John went to Baltimore, Maryland and worked in a shipyard, building Liberty Ships during the first part of World War II. Inducted into the Army in 1944, he served in the Philippine Islands and Japan with the Engineer Boat and Shore Regiment where he served as a sergeant on a landing craft. After the war, John moved to Syracuse and took advantage of the GI Bill to become a carpenter and worked in Carpenter's Local 747 for 27 years. John retired in 1983 and enjoyed fishing, hunting, golf, tennis and table pool. He was an avid gardener. He was known as a meticulous master carpenter and built his home on Onondaga Hill. He was always willing to help his children with their building projects and was a patient teacher of carpentry skills. John was president of St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Church for many years and when St. Michael's closed, he joined SS. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church where he became a member of the church board. Surviving are his wife of 70 years, Bunny; daughters and sons-in-law, Terry and Eric Goplerud of Reston, Virginia and Elizabeth Jan and Jon Goplerud of Lexington, Massachusetts; grandchildren, Keith, Elise, Andrea and Kara Goplerud; and several nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends may call Thursday, May 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus. Panikhida service will be at 4:15 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, May 18 at SS. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, 401 Hamilton St., Syracuse. John will be laid to rest in St. Michael's Russian Orthodox Cemetery, East Syracuse. Contributions may be made to SS. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, 401 Hamilton St., Syracuse, NY 13204.