Dr. Andris Padegs, of Poughkeepsie, NY, passed away May 3, 2024, at the age of 95.Born March 27, 1929, in Riga, Latvia, Andris spent his childhood summers on the family farm in rural Latvia, which he then imagined he would one day manage. However, the Soviet Union occupied Latvia in 1940. With the ensuing deportations and social chaos that followed as Latvia was subjected to Soviet, then Nazi German and again Soviet occupation, the family was well aware that they faced retribution: Arturs Padegs, Andris' father had been a captain in the Latvian Army. Fearing deportation, Andris, with his mother and brother, in 1944 emigrated from Latvia to Germany on transport ships carrying the retreating German army. At that time, they were unaware of his father's whereabouts, but later learned that he was held in a prisoner of war camp, and then returned to Latvia. Andris spent the post war years 1945- 1949 residing for the most part in a Displaced Persons camp in Esslingen, Germany that was overseen by the UN Refugee Relief Agency and the American army.  Andris graduated from the Latvian Gymnasium High School in Esslingen, Germany in an accelerated "lighting" program, and then, having found a sponsor in the US, emigrated to the U.S. with his mother and brother, where they arrived in New York Harbor in October 1949.  They settled in Brooklyn, NY in the area of Park Slope which had a quickly expanding and culturally thriving Latvian community that revolved around the Latvian Lutheran Church of New York.  In 1953 Andris graduated from Dartmouth College and in 1954 he received a master's degree in engineering (Electrical) from Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering. He went on to Carnegie Tech, currently Carnegie Mellon, where he received a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering in 1958.  He married Mara Berzins in 1954, who also was a member of the Latvian immigrant community; they met while folk dancing. The couple moved to Poughkeepsie, NY when Andris was offered a position at IBM in 1958 and became deeply immersed in the dynamic environment involved with the advent of mainframe computers.  Dr. Padegs advanced to Senior Engineer at IBM's laboratory at Poughkeepsie, where he was responsible for the functional definition of IBM System/360 central processors and channels. He is one of the two co-authors of System/360 Principles of Operation, which specified the operation of all models of System/360 and is the standard according to which all System/360 computers are designed.  Despite the demands of his career, Andris was actively involved with sustaining Latvian culture in the diaspora community. Initially working to develop the local Latvian culture, he gradually established and promoted these ties and exchanges with Latvia, and also worked to advance social and congressional awareness about the illegal occupation of the Baltic countries. In 1969 he was one of the founders, and later- director- of the Poughkeepsie Latvian Society.  This entity evolved to become the main cultural global organization of the Latvian diaspora and was aptly renamed "TILTS" ("bridge") as a bridge to Latvia. Andris remained an active board member of TILTS until 2023. In addition, Andris was a board member of the global Latvian Foundation, Inc. and treasurer of the Latvian Opera Guild. Andris also established contact with academicians in his engineering field in Latvia. He participated as a lecturer at the Latvian Technical consortiums, and then, with the advent of Latvian sovereignty in 1991, was one of the organizers of the First International Engineering Conference in Riga, Latvia.  In recognition of his lifelong quest to promote the freedom and culture of Latvia, Andris received the "Officer of the Order of the Three Stars" award from the President of Latvia in 2001. In 1992 Andris retired from IBM but continued to work with entrepreneurial endeavors in his field. Andris and Mara traveled to Latvia annually, and they finally found the time to travel on longer trips, including to China and river tours through Russia and Europe. They enjoyed weekends in the Adirondacks, swimming and canoeing with family.  Both he and Mara found great enjoyment singing in the Latvian Concert Choir, and it was a social and musical outlet for his interests until the advent of COVID. He was a devoted family man and friend, known for his genuine curiosity, intellect, and sincerity. He entertained his grandchildren with flips from the diving board until he was well into his '80's. Andris had remarked on two highlights of his life: Latvia's breakaway from the Soviet Union as it again declared sovereignty in 1991; and, he had assumed that as a member of the diaspora it should not be surprising if his children no longer spoke the Latvian language. To his delight, and thanks to Mara's and his dedication and efforts, not only his children, but his grandchildren and great grandchild are fluent in Latvian and maintain ties with their heritage.  Andris is survived by his three children Anita Batarags of Upper Saddle River, NJ, Gynt Padegs of East Harwich, MA, and Sandra Slokenbergs of Cold Spring, NY, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. His wife, Mara, passed away in July, 2019. In fitting with the sentiment of Andris Padegs, and with his peaceful passing, the family kindly asks that memorial donations be made to Latvian Cultural Association TILTS (www.tilts.org) or Hudson Valley Hospice Dutchess County Office (www.hvhospice.org). Arrangements have been entrusted to Joseph J. Darrow Sr. Funeral Home, Inc.  39 So. Hamilton St. Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. (845)452-1840.  To send online condolences please visit our website at www.darrowfuneralhome.org