Gunārs Edvards Špīlbergs

Gunnar was born on December 22, 1928 in Rīga, Latvia. He grew up in Jaunciems, Latvia, on the shores of Lake Ķīšezers. He attended grade schools in Latvia and in Germany. He and his parents, along with his brother and sister, fled Latvia in 1944 as the Soviet Army drew near. They spent five years in displaced persons camps in Germany before being approved for emigration to the United States. They dearly desired to return to their Latvian homeland, but knew from rare news sources that their lives would be at risk from their new Soviet rulers. They boarded a ship to America in late October 1949, arriving in New York City about a week later. Gunnar was 20 years old.

In the United States, Gunnar had a wonder-filled life. He joined the US Army and was stationed in Alaska for two years ending in December 1952. He married Dzidra (born Liepkalns) on September 12, 1951 in East Lansing, Michigan. Somehow he was able to get home leave from the Army and travel from Alaska to Okemos, MI to see Dzidra. They lived in one or two homes before moving to Okemos, Michigan in 1955, where Gunnar had built the home that he and Dzidra lived in until January 2024.

During those years, Gunnar provided home renovation services for a few years, and then started a home building business, Gunnar Spielberg, Inc., with the help of Dzidra. They built more than 100 homes in the greater Lansing area until they retired in the 1990s. Gunnar taught their two boys how to build homes and employed them in the business during their vacations from school. He enjoyed mentoring local youth by providing opportunities and career development. Gunnar enjoyed alpine skiing, swimming, and volleyball, and taught the boys as well. During those years, Gunnar was also an active member of a local Latvian Lutheran community and the Lansing Homebuilders’ Association. In his latter years, he enjoyed making wooden tables with one-of-a-kind shapes and serving platters with unique, often Latvian-inspired, designs in his garage shop. Gunnar built his first vacation house on Drummond Island where he loved sailing on his boat, Nara II. He later built at house at Crystal Mountain and enjoyed skiing.

Gunnar is survived by and dearly missed by his wife of 72 years, Dzidra of Haslett, MI who lately has called him “my dear old man”; by his two sons, John (Neneng Laurencia) of East Lansing, MI and Andris of East Lansing, MI; by his four grandchildren, Larisa (Craig) Joeright of Lake Orion, MI, Jonars Spielberg of Boston, MA, Ēriks Puķīte of Milwaukee, WI, and Ārija Spielberg of Lansing, MI; by his three great-grandchildren, Jenavieve Joeright (12), Josalyn Joeright (12), and Tristan Gunars Joeright (8) of Lake Orion, MI; by his nephews, Alnis (Daina) Cers of Chicago, IL, and Kalvis (Elisa) Cers of Western Springs, IL, and niece, Esther Lily Freimanis (Špīlbergs) of Mashpee, MA.

Gunnar was preceded in death by his father, Victor Spielberg and mother, Anna (born Kūlmanis) Spielberg; brother, Vilis Špīlbergs; sister, Dace (Špīlbergs) Cers; and niece Debbie (Špīlbergs) D’Angelo.

A funeral service will take place on Monday, August 12, 2024 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes East Chapel, 1730 East Grand River Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823. A visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by the service from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon; from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. is lunch reception. At 1 pm, Procession to Evergreen Cemetery at 2600 East Mount Hope Avenue, Lansing, MI 48910. Interment service at 2pm

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

Latvian Center Garezers, Inc.

“In Memory of Gunārs Edvards Špīlbergs”

57732 Lone Tree Rd.

Three Rivers, MI 49093

tel. 269.244.5441

fax. 269.244.8380

EIN 38-1786562

[email protected]

Donations website: https://garezers.org/atbalstit-support/