John Daniel Bonga

Obituary

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | January 20, 2020

John Daniel Bonga of Duquesne, a resident of Juniper Village in Forest Hills, age 98, on Sunday, January 19, 2020. He was the first American child born to Andrew and Anna (Rinyik) on December 30, 1921 in Rankin.

Beloved husband of the late Mildred (Tankosic) Bonga. Loving father of Dan (Nancy) Bonga, David (Monika) Bonga and Nikki (Tom) Stoner. Dearest grandfather (Pap Pap) of Dr. Lily Bonga and Jonathan Bonga; Nathan Stoner and Sally (Stephen) Paul; and the late Amanda Lyn Bonga.

Proud great-grandfather of McCarthy Rae Poljak and Everett Paul. John also was the beloved fiancé of Magdalene “Madge” Seman.

John was a 44-year employee of Westinghouse in East Pittsburgh. Although he rarely spoke of his military service, John proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II as a sergeant with the 338th Infantry Regiment combat Team in North Africa and Italy. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement in ground combat.

John was a lifetime member of St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in Rankin and the White Oak American Legion.

He was preceded in death by his brothers, Andrew Jr. and George Bonga and his sister, Irene Mandela.

Friends are welcome on Tuesday from 2-4 & 6-8pm at Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory Inc; 700 Linden Ave. at Cable; East Pittsburgh, 412-824-8800 where a Parastas will be prayed on Tuesday at 6pm.

John’s Funeral service will be in the funeral home on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

John will be laid to rest with Military Honors in McKeesport-Versailles Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Michael Orthodox Church, 146 Third St., Rankin, PA 15104 or the Wounded Warrior Project, 600 River Ave., Suite 400, Pgh., Pa. 15212 or www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

Originally published January 20, 2020.

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