Guna Pantele

Guna Pantele left us for heaven on February 9, 2024. Guna passed away peacefully at home in Wyndmoor, PA, with family by her side, after a valiant battle with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Guna was born on October 4, 1977 in Jelgava, Latvia, and grew up surrounded by music. After finishing university at the Academy of Culture in Latvia, Guna moved to the U.S. for graduate school at Fordham University, where she met Andrew. Guna’s daughter, Gabriela, was born in 2007 and her son, Mateo, in 2009. Most recently, Guna worked as the Music Director at St. Genevieve Parish in Flourtown, PA, where her music brought joy and peace to so many. Above all else, Guna loved being a mother. She was Mateo’s number one fan and Gabriela’s best friend.

Guna is survived by Gabriela and Mateo Puntel; her husband, Andrew Puntel; her parents, Armands Pantelis and Laima Rumba; and her grandmother Lūcija Kupše; Guna’s siblings- and parents-in-law (and in-heart); and her children’s cousins. We would also like to recognize Guna’s friends and the communities in the U.S. and Latvia who were so special to her, and extend our love to all of you.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 17 at 10am at St. Genevieve’s Parish in Flourtown, PA. For those who cannot attend in person, mass will be live-streamed and can be viewed using the following link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JfmyLNbGqiuKx-CtYRMsQ/featured 

Before the funeral mass, join us for Taize Prayer, 9:30-9:55am.

In lieu of flowers, we have started a fund in Guna’s memory for Gabriela and Mateo. 

We’ve written a longer version of Guna’s obituary for those who would like to read it, below. Thank you for your love during this time.

TRANSLATION:

Guna Pantele, a vibrant soul whose life was an improvisational hymn, left us for heaven on February 9, 2024. Guna passed away peacefully at home in Wyndmoor, PA, with family by her side, after a valiant battle with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Guna lived so fiercely and fought so heroically that we scarcely knew her time was coming until it arrived, and we are assured that she danced into heaven just as confidently as she danced here on earth, and is now joining in the celestial choirs.

Guna, whose name means “fire”, was born on October 4, 1977  in Jelgava, Latvia. Guna grew up in a country of music and revolution (in fact, a singing revolution), surrounded by her dad’s guitar and lots of singing. At 7 years old, Guna began studying violin at the Jelgava Music School. As a teenager, she sang in St Ann’s youth choir and was inspired by her music teacher at the Spīdola School, the folklore movement, and ancient music.

When she was 16, a Catholic friend invited Guna on a pilgrimage to Aglona, the site of the magnificent Basilica of the Assumption. While on the road, “a girl gave me the book ‘Story of a Soul’ by Therese of Lisieux. Reading it, I felt a deep, fervent love for Jesus. My heart seemed to be on fire.” She embraced Catholicism after that pilgrimage, taking the name of Therese for her confirmation. Guna immersed herself in the life of the Catholic community in Jelgava, and got even stronger at music, becoming a founding member of the musical group Jaunākie Jēri (The Youngest Lambs).

After finishing university at the Academy of Culture in Latvia, Guna took a leap of faith to move to the U.S. for graduate school at Fordham University, where she completed a Master’s Degree in Religious Education and met Andrew in Fordham’s Sunday evening mass folk choir. Their wedding in August of 2004 was casually joyous, just like every get-together they hosted for friends and family over the years. Throughout their marriage, Andrew’s piano and Guna’s violin, with their voices in harmony, were a testament to their love and care for each other and brought prayer and comfort to so many. 

Andrew and Guna welcomed Gabriela (Gaba) into the world in 2007, and Guna immediately knew she wanted to be with her young daughter for more than the six week maternity leave afforded her. The new family moved to Latvia where Guna gave birth to her son, Mateo (Matīss), in 2009. She was an outspoken supporter for affordable health care and parental leave after her experiences with childbirth and parenthood in both countries. 

Guna’s ministry has always been religious education and music, with a generous sprinkle of health education, advocacy, and cultural literacy work. Most recently, until the time of her death, Guna worked as the Music Director at St. Genevieve Parish in Flourtown, PA, where her music and music ministry planning brought joy and peace to so many. 

Above all else, Guna loved being a mother. She was Mateo’s number one fan and Gabriela’s best friend. She raised her kids in Latvian communities in Philadelphia and New Jersey; they often visited family and friends in Latvia, and even did the same pilgrimage to Aglona that brought her to her faith as a teenager.

So many of us have been touched by Guna’s time on earth. Guna is survived by her children, Gabriela and Mateo Puntel; her husband, Andrew Puntel; her parents, Armands Pantelis and Laima Rumba; and her grandmother Lūcija Kupše; Guna’s siblings- and parents-in-law (and in-heart); and her children’s cousins. We would also like to recognize Guna’s friends and the communities in the U.S. and Latvia who were so special to her, and extend our love to all of you.

While we did not have enough time with Guna, we are confident that the fire of her memory burns through us. The constancy of Guna’s love remains in her kind, funny and strong-hearted daughter, Gabriela, and her calm, focused, and sweet son, Mateo. Guna’s cross-cultural beacon shines in the Latvian language Andrew, Gabriela, and Mateo speak, the Latvian traditions Guna taught her American family, and the strength of community Guna fostered in the Latvian society at Priedaine. The flame of Guna’s music flares up when we put aside self-consciousness to exuberantly sing or dance with loved ones. The brightness of Guna’s convictions shines when we choose to support sustainability and local businesses and makers. The warmth of Guna’s faith keeps us going.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 17 at 10am at St. Genevieve’s Parish in Flourtown, PA. For those who cannot attend in person, mass will be live-streamed and may be viewed by using the following link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JfmyLNbGqiuKx-CtYRMsQ/featured 

Before the funeral mass, join us for Taize Prayer, 9:30-9:55am.

In lieu of flowers, we have started a fund in Guna’s memory for Gabriela and Mateo. 

The quote from Guna in this obituary came from interviews she did with Dace Indrika for the publication Mieram Tuvu, Close to Peace, in Latvian:  http://tinyurl.com/MieramTuvu