Gunta Vija Ballin

Gunta Vija Ballin of Tigard, Oregon passed away peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at the Prestige Adult Care Home in Portland, Oregon. She was 87. Gunta was born May 19, 1930 in Liepāja, Latvia to Zanis Bruzilis and Irene (Gankovskis) Bruzilis. As refugees, she and her family immigrated from Latvia through post-war Europe to the United States, arriving in New York City in 1949. As a young New Yorker, she worked as a department store model, and ballroom dancing instructor. Gunta and Thomas Henry Miller were married in 1954, and later settled in Sacramento, California. They had two sons Guy, 1963, and Cary, 1965. Gunta and Tom divorced in 1968. As a single mother, Gunta worked as a personnel agency manager and health & fitness instructor. She married Henry Sigfried Ballin in 1974. His two sons, Howard and Steven, would expand the family to four boys. Some of her happiest memories included camping and boating with the boys, family gatherings surrounded by her children and grandchildren, and traveling to her favorite place on earth, Hawaii. In their retirement years, Gunta and Hank were avid boaters and active members of both the Sacramento and Stockton Yacht Clubs. Cap’n Hank and his First Mate could often be found cruising the rivers and byways of the Sacramento Delta and San Francisco Bay Area on their 44-foot cabin cruiser, It’s Ours III. They celebrated over 28 years of marriage until Hank’s passing in 2003. In 2008, Gunta left California for Tigard, Oregon. In her new home adjacent to the Summerfield golf course, with a beautiful view of the water-featured 5th fairway, she remained passionate about her gardening, reading and classical music. She was an avid supporter of the arts including musical theater, the ballet, Latvian cultural festivals and her local symphony orchestras. In 2010, she embarked on one last memorable trip, a week-long riverboat cruise in Alaska. From late-August 2016 until late-May 2017, while in home hospice care, she found peace and comfort in the company of her family, friends, neighbors, and caretakers as well as the beauty of the grounds outside her windows; watching the migrating ducks, geese, and hummingbirds that visited her feeders. Gunta was preceded in death by her adoring husband Henry Sigfried Ballin in 2003 at the age of 78 and step-son Steven Michael Ballin in 2007 at the age of 48. She is survived by her loving sons Guy Raymond Miller and Cary Andrew Miller; step-son Howard Martin Ballin and his son Heath Ballin; grandchildren Nicholas Raymond Miller, Alexander Richier Miller, Bernadette Marie Miller, Patrick Ryan Miller, and Sarahlyn Deanne Miller. In lieu of flowers her family requests instead a contribution be made in Gunta’s memory to the Salvation Army, your local community theater or symphony orchestra, or PBS affiliate.

Gunta Vija Ballin

May 19, 1930 - August 2, 2017