Gustav Lundberg, age 95, of Denver, Colorado, passed away peacefully in his home on December 21, 2023.

Gustav was born in Leningrad, USSR (now called St. Petersburg, Russia) in 1928.  Gustav's father predeceased him early in Gustav's life, perishing in the Gulag in Siberia.  In 1941, Gustav's mother sent him to the Donbas region of Ukraine to spend the summer in the countryside.  During that time, the Nazis invaded the USSR and Leningrad was surrounded by the Nazi forces.  Gustav, separated from his mother, fled the advancing troops with his extended family - his aunt and uncle and cousins.  The small group walked across Ukraine and Poland to Austria and eventually found shelter in a refugee camp in Salzburg, Austria.  Gustav searched for his mother tirelessly and was reunited with her late in her life and well after the end of the war.  After surviving the remainder of World War II in the refugee camp and earning a college certificate there, Gustav emigrated to Argentina with his extended family in 1950.  In Argentina, Gustav worked and studied very hard and ultimately graduated from medical school.  He became a pediatrician – a profession that he was passionate about for his entire life.

Gustav had met his future wife, Vera Kallaur, in the refugee camp in Salzburg, Austria; they became reacquainted during a trip she made to Argentina to visit mutual friends.  Gustav proposed marriage and then emigrated to the United States.  Gustav and Vera were married in 1966 and their only child, Mashenka, was born a year later.  Gustav went through internship and residency in Connecticut to obtain his US medical credentials.  Gustav and Vera moved to New York and lived there for over 45 years.  The Orthodox Church was an important part of the life of their family.  Gustav was devoted to two things – his family and his medical practice.  Gustav had a successful pediatric practice in Staten Island and by the time of his retirement was treating the second or even sometimes the third generation of his patients.  Gustav retired from his medical practice in 2006 after close to 50 years as a pediatrician.

Gustav moved to Colorado in 2013 to be close to his only daughter and son-in-law.  Gustav closely followed world events, reading the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Staten Island Advance.  He experienced so much during his long life and had tremendous empathy for refugees and migrants, having experienced the grim reality of having only the clothes on his back and no idea where his next meal might be coming from.  In retirement, Gustav was a voracious reader, especially enjoying non-fiction books about major historical characters such as US presidents and world leaders.  He loved participating in book clubs that gave him the opportunity to discuss different types of literature, both fiction and non-fiction.  Gustav also became a fan of poetry and never missed a chance to discuss a new poem during poetry club.  He was passionate about continuously learning more about science, often picking up his medical treatises for some light reading or perusing the writings of Steven Hawkings to learn about the origins of the universe and quantum physics.  Gustav also loved to play chess; he enjoyed teaching the game to anyone willing to learn.  He had an amazing aptitude for technology, learning to use an iPad in his 80s and playing chess against the computer.  Gustav was a life-long sports fan, loving soccer and his adopted sport of American football as well.  He also enjoyed listening to classical music and was known to sing along at times.

Gustav was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Vera.  Gustav is survived by his daughter, Mashenka Lundberg, and his son-in-law, Patrick Green, of Denver, Colorado.  In addition, Gustav is survived by his sister-in-law, Alla (Kallaur) Lewykin and Alla's husband, Ivan Lewykin of Trumbull, Connecticut, his brother-in-law Dr. Constantine Kallaur and Constantine's wife, Arlene Kallaur of Charlotte, North Carolina and his brother-in-law, Walter Kallaur of Fort Myers, Florida.  Gustav is also survived by two granddaughters, Brook Fonzone married to Stephen Fonzone of Denver, Colorado and Kinsey Hannify, married to Lieutenant Commander James Hannify of Denver, Colorado, and six great-grandchildren. Gustav is also survived by three nephews and their spouses - Gregory Kallaur, and his wife Dr. Kelly Kallaur, of Timonium, Maryland, Fr. Michael Kallaur, and his wife Presbytera Eleni, of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Daniel Kallaur and his wife Ly Kallaur of Charlotte, North Carolina and nine grandnephews and grandnieces. Gustav was predeceased by his parents, Maria and Nils Lundberg, and Carolita Kallaur, beloved wife of Walter Kallaur.

There will be a Celebration of Gustav's Life at HighPointe Assisted Living, 6383 E. Girard Place, Denver, Colorado 80222 (Sky Lounge, 4th Floor) on Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 2:00 pm.  Rev Father Louis J. Christopulos, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver will lead the prayers.  All are welcome to attend and share memories of Gustav.

The following week, there will be a Panikhida (memorial service) on Wednesday, January 3, 2024 at 6:30 pm at the Presentation of Christ in the Temple Russian Orthodox Church, 5 Wheeler Terrace, Stratford, CT 06614.  On Thursday, January 4, 2024, holy liturgy will commence at 8:00 am followed by the funeral service immediately following at the Presentation of Christ in the Temple Russian Orthodox Church, Stratford.  Interment will follow at Woodland Cemetery in Stamford, CT. Services will be conducted by Archpriest Constantine Semyanko of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple Russian Orthodox Church.