Olģerts P. “Ogy” Sniedze

Olģerts P. “Ogy” Sniedze, a longtime resident of Perinton, NY, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, November 11, 2023. He was 91.

Born in Rēzekne, Latvia, Ogy was the son of Kārlis and Valentīna (Borovskis) Sniedze. The family left Latvia during World War II, spent years in the German DP camp system, and immigrated to the USA when Ogy was 18. He finished his high school education while living in Germany, but completed a B.S. of Civil Engineering at the City College of New York, and later studied at Colgate Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, NY.

Ogy served in the US Army from 1953 – 1955, seeing combat in Korea and qualifying as Airborne. These years proved to be very important to him, and he spent much time and energy in his retirement supporting Veterans’ organizations and traveling to many conferences and ceremonies to speak. He was a lifetime member of the Greater Rochester All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, the National 82nd Airborne Division Association, the National Rakkasan Association, and the VFW Perinton Memorial Post 8495.

While participating in the Latvian community in New York City, Ogy met Dzintra Krasts at a Latvian event. They dated for a few years, and were married in 1958. They settled in the Rochester, NY area, raising two daughters.

After his first position as a civil engineer for the new “Can of Worms” project in Rochester, Ogy worked many years at Woodward Associates, a private firm in Webster, NY.  When that firm dissolved due to the retirement of Kenneth Woodward, Ogy bought out the firm and started his own business: Sniedze Associates.  He moved the business to Canandaigua, NY and worked closely with many cities and towns in the Greater Finger Lakes area.

While still working full time as a civil engineer, Ogy began exploring a call to ministry in the Latvian Lutheran Church. He graduated a three summer course sponsored by the denomination and was ordained a deacon.  He later studied at Colgate Rochester Divinity School and became a Reverend, accepting a call to serve congregations in Rochester, Syracuse and Schenectady, NY.

Even after retiring from his civil engineering firm, Ogy continued as a minister. He was elected Dean of the Eastern Conference of the Latvian Lutheran Church by his peers and served in that position for 3 terms. He was a compassionate pastor and dedicated preacher who spent much time and energy ministering to his flocks.

Ogy was a caring father to his two daughters and a loving and faithful husband to wife Dzintra. His five grandchildren were one of his greatest joys, and he always found time to participate in and support their many and varied activities.

He never lost the love of driving sports cars and raced at Watkins Glen and Lime Rock.  In his later years, he and his wife loved taking his Porsche for a spin through the Finger Lakes region. He enjoyed many years of vacationing with his family on Cape Cod.

Ogy is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dzintra, his daughters Linda (Gregory) and Lisa (Randy), as well as his grandchildren Theodore, Seth, Anastasia, Abbey and Nigel.

Calling hours will be on Monday, November 27 from 3 – 7PM at Miller Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., 3325 Winton Road South.

A funeral will be held at Atonement Lutheran Church, 1900 Westfall Rd. Rochester, NY 14618 on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 at 11AM. His urn will be interred at a later date at the Latvian Memorial Park in the Catskills, where Ogy served as chaplain for 30 years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Rochester Ev. Lutheran Church of the Cross or to the Rochester chapter of Daugavas Vanagi (Latvian Relief Organization), checks may be mailed c/o Miller Funeral and Cremation Services, Inc., 3325 Winton Road South, Rochester, NY 14623.