Louis Bontya, III

Mike Wenger was in Hawaii when he heard about the death of his friend, Louis Bontya.

It prompted him to note in an online tribute that “Lou” “was one of the most wonderful, kind, unselfish men that I have ever known.”

“He remains a wonderful friend that I can never forget.”

The 76-year-old touched lives as a council member in Florence; architect; and “very kind” Vietnam vet, wrote Donna Stove-Cody in an online tribute. But Louis’ greatest contribution was sobriety – for himself, and for those who followed him at AA meetings.

Thirty-one years sober, Louis helped organize some of those sessions, lending his own experience – along with his “warm nature and immediately likeable personality,” Maureen Benson noted online – to those not just starting their own recoveries, but struggling to maintain them.

Louis was also a Navy historian who authored two books and was at work on a third. “Consolidated Aircraft Factory History: US Navy Early P2Y and PBY Aircraft History and Profiles” – published in 2024 – examined the early designs of those two aircraft in the late 1920s. 

Louis loved traveling with his wife Christina, working on model planes and playing the guitar. It is also included in his obituary that he loved the simple pleasures of sweets, extra napkins and finely chopped onions. 

Duly noted are his favorite beach chair and a dog named Heidi.

Addressing Lou in her tribute, Stove-Cody wrote, “Your presence will be missed.”

Sources: Egizi Funeral Home, Legacy.com

Dr. Pouran “Pat” Zekavat

Dr. Pouran “Pat” Zekavat didn’t dwell on being a trailblazer – she was too busy for that.

One of only two women to graduate from Iran’s Mashhad Medical School in 1960, Pouran met her husband Hassan there and married him, after he sought her father’s permission.  

Together they embarked for America – specifically Philadelphia – for residencies at the former Hahnemann University Hospital. 

Hassan would go on to be an orthopedic surgeon. Pouran – who was 91 when she died – was the first woman accepted into the radiology residency at the hospital.

“She didn’t think of herself as a barrier breaker,” remembered the couple’s son, Kenneth. “It was something she just navigated. It’s just who she was. But she was a role model for sure.”

That doesn’t mean there weren’t tough times on the way to being Dr. Zekavat, a radiologist who spent more than 25 years at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, where she taught med students and radiology residents.

“She was very strong,” said her daughter, Susan Nourbakhsh. “There were things she had to deal with, but that strength kept her going. She never gave in to it. And she never complained.”

Pouran’s strength also extended to motherhood – and grandparenting.  

“She was a pillar of strength,” noted Kenneth, who by his own admission was trouble as a teen. 

His mother took on that challenge, too, with help from Moorestown Friends School. A great believer in education, Pouran admired the school’s Quaker philosophy.

“She was a big believer in the Friends school system,” Susan recalled, “and its belief in giving  back.”

Pouran’s four grandchildren were central to her life, especially as her career wound down. Dara, Sasha, Sophie and Anya cherished time with their grandmother, especially summers in Ocean City.

“She was a role model to our kids,” Susan pointed out. “She was very present when they were growing up. And she left an indelible mark on who they are.”

And without dwelling on it, Pouran lent help to women who benefitted from the barriers she broke.

“Being a woman at the juncture when she entered a male-dominated career … it must have been pretty difficult,” Susan observed. “I’m sure there were instances when she had to prove herself. But she never gave into it.

“Her strength kept her going.” 

“She was 100% genuine in everything she did,” Kenneth said. “She had a strong sense of right and wrong. 

“Her compass was spot on.”

Sources: Legacy.com, Lewis Funeral Home

Inside the obits:
The doctor is in

Many other physicians left their mark on patients in South Jersey. Here are four.

Dr. Daniel Belsky was an accomplished athlete in his youth. But the 93-year-old took up medicine and became a practitioner of obstetrics and gynecology at two area hospitals, says his obituary. The advocate for women’s reproductive rights was recalled by one mourner online as “a true gentleman and scholar.”

Dr. Catherine A. Michon’s life is described in her obituary as a “testament to her loving nature and dedication to helping others.” A graduate of the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, the 97-year-old saw her way to an ophthalmology practice. In retirement, she cared for the sick at hospitals and was part of a medical mission trip to Mexico. 

Dr. Charles E. Wilkins Jr. left this world at 85, having practiced orthopedics in the area until he retired in 2015, according to his obituary. But after he graduated from med school, the National Guard member ministered to soldiers in Vietnam and at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. In his spare time, a fishing hobby took him to places in the U.S. and abroad. 

Dr. Remo Leomporra was a surgical ob-gyn for 35 years, his obituary notes, devoting time and effort to caring for women and families. The 93-year-old – sometimes known as Lee – was recalled for his humor, “always with a smile,” noted Richard DeVeaux in an online tribute. But the doctor’s greatest contribution? Babies by the thousands. 

Sources: Legacy.com, Platt Memorial Chapels, Bradley Funeral Home, Mount Laurel Home for Funerals. 

The Good Life appears twice a month. To suggest someone who recently passed away for a tribute, email Christina Mitchell at cmitchell@donnelly.media. Please describe in a few words something about the person’s life.