John Bodnar, 92, of Onondaga Hill, passed away Tuesday. Born in Hrabace, Czechoslovakia, he came to the U.S. at the age of 11. He settled in Dickson City, PA and eventually the family moved to Elkhorn, WV where he went to school to become a welder. John went to Baltimore, MD and worked in a shipyard, building Liberty Ships during the first part of WWII. 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; children, Terry (Eric) Goplerud of Reston, VA and Elizabeth Jan (Jon) Goplerud of Lexington, MA; grandchildren, Keith, Elise, Andrea and Kara Goplerud; and several nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends may call Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus. Panikhida service will be 4:15 p.m. at the funeral home. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday 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.

Published in Syracuse Post Standard from May 15 to May 16, 2012