# Sonja Bata

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Swiss Canadian businesswoman, philanthropist, collector and museum founder

Sonja Bata OC MSM CD Born Sonja Ingrid Wettstein (1926-11-08)8 November 1926 Zürich, Switzerland Died 20 February 2018(2018-02-20) (aged 91) Toronto, Ontario, Canada Burial place Mount Pleasant Cemetery Other name Sonja Baťová Occupations Businesswoman, philanthropist, collector and museum founder Spouse Thomas J. Bata ​ ​ (m. 1946; died 2008)​ Children 4 Relatives Tomáš Baťa (father-in-law)

**Sonja Ingrid Bata** [OC](/source/Order_of_Canada) [MSM](/source/Meritorious_Service_Medal_(Canada)) [CD](/source/Canadian_Forces'_Decoration) (or **Sonja Baťová**; [née](/source/Birth_name#Maiden_and_married_names) **Wettstein**; 8 November 1926 – 20 February 2018) was a [Swiss Canadian](/source/Swiss_Canadian) businesswoman, philanthropist, collector and museum founder,[1] who initially trained as an architect.[2][3]

## Biography

Bata Shoe Museum

She left her architecture studies after her marriage to [Thomas J. Bata](/source/Thomas_J._Bata) of [Bata Shoes](/source/Bata_Shoes) and moved to [Toronto](/source/Toronto) in 1946, befriending those in the architecture community – [Raymond Moriyama](/source/Raymond_Moriyama) designed the [Bata Shoe Museum](/source/Bata_Shoe_Museum), while [John Cresswell Parkin](/source/John_Cresswell_Parkin) designed the impressive [Don Mills](/source/Don_Mills) headquarters of Bata Shoes and the family's country house in [Batawa](/source/Batawa).[4] Though she had earlier envisioned herself to become a great architect, she set her designs on improving the Bata Shoe company.[5]

Graves of Sonja and Thomas Bata at Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Also in the 1940s, she began collecting shoes and studying their history. In 1979, she endowed the Bata Shoe Museum Foundation. The Bata Shoe Museum, established in 1995, is the world's largest shoe museum,[6] and the core collection is attributed to Bata.[7] She was the museum's chairperson.[8]

Bata was also the chair of the [National Design Council](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=National_Design_Council&action=edit&redlink=1) (1970s).[9] She helped establish the [Toronto French School](/source/Toronto_French_School), served as director the [Art Gallery of Ontario](/source/Art_Gallery_of_Ontario), sat on the boards of [Alcan](/source/Alcan) and Canada Trustco (now [TD Canada Trust](/source/TD_Canada_Trust)), affiliated with the [World Wildlife Fund](/source/World_Wildlife_Fund),[10] and became an Honorary Captain in the RCN and sponsor of [HMCS *Ottawa*](/source/HMCS_Ottawa_(FFH_341)).[1]

She was appointed an [Officer of the Order of Canada](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_Canada) in 1983.[11] She died at her home in Toronto on 20 February 2018, outliving her husband for nine years. She was buried alongside him at [Mount Pleasant Cemetery](/source/Mount_Pleasant_Cemetery%2C_Toronto).

## Personal life

She had four children.[12] Her father-in-law is [Tomáš Baťa](/source/Tom%C3%A1%C5%A1_Ba%C5%A5a), the founder of Bata Shoes.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] [13]

## Awards

- Appointed an Officer of the [Order of Canada](/source/Order_of_Canada) (OC) in 1983.

- She received the [125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal](/source/125th_Anniversary_of_the_Confederation_of_Canada_Medal) in 1992.

- She received the Canadian Version of the [Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal](/source/Queen_Elizabeth_II_Golden_Jubilee_Medal) in 2002.

- She received the Canadian Version of the [Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal](/source/Queen_Elizabeth_II_Diamond_Jubilee_Medal) in 2012.

- She received the [Meritorious Service Medal](/source/Meritorious_Service_Medal_(Canada)) (MSM) in the Military Division on 19 February 2007.[14]

- She received the [Canadian Forces' Decoration](/source/Canadian_Forces'_Decoration) (CD) with 1 Clasp for 24 years service as an [Honorary Captain](/source/Captain_(naval)) with the [Royal Canadian Navy](/source/Royal_Canadian_Navy) 1989-2013.

- Companion of the [Canadian Business Hall of Fame](/source/Canadian_Business_Hall_of_Fame)

- [Lifetime achievement award, Retail Council of Canada](/source/Retail_Council_of_Canada#Lifetime_achievement_award)

- 1995, [Conference Board of Canada](/source/Conference_Board_of_Canada)[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERezac2005139_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTERezac2005139_1-1) [Rezac 2005](#CITEREFRezac2005), p. 139.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Sonja I. Bata 8 nov 1926 - Google Search"](https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Sonja+I.+Bata+8+nov+1926). *google.com*. Retrieved 24 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Hampson, Sarah (21 February 2018). ["Sonja Bata was a guiding force of the Bata shoe enterprise"](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/sonja-bata-was-the-guiding-force-of-the-bata-shoe-enterprise/article38053718/). *The Globe and Mail*. Retrieved 24 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LeBlanc2009_4-0)** LeBlanc, Dave (27 August 2009). ["The Architourist - Before modern turned retro"](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/home-and-garden/real-estate/before-modern-turned-retro/article1345237/). The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBataSinclair1990132_5-0)** [Bata & Sinclair 1990](#CITEREFBataSinclair1990), p. 132.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDeMello200932_6-0)** [DeMello 2009](#CITEREFDeMello2009), p. 32.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGrzeskowiak200848_7-0)** [Grzeskowiak 2008](#CITEREFGrzeskowiak2008), p. 48.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBenstockFerriss200135_8-0)** [Benstock & Ferriss 2001](#CITEREFBenstockFerriss2001), p. 35.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBataSinclair1990138_9-0)** [Bata & Sinclair 1990](#CITEREFBataSinclair1990), p. 138.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBataSinclair1990139_10-0)** [Bata & Sinclair 1990](#CITEREFBataSinclair1990), p. 139.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Bryant, Nolan (27 August 2016). ["Woman of Influence: Mrs. Bata at 90"](https://www.proquest.com/docview/2273238796). *[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)*. [ProQuest](/source/ProQuest) [2273238796](https://www.proquest.com/docview/2273238796). Retrieved 26 January 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEBataSinclair1990134_12-0)** [Bata & Sinclair 1990](#CITEREFBataSinclair1990), p. 134.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Sonja Bata, founder of Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, remembered for passion, generosity - CBC News"](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/sonja-bata-obit-1.4545860). Retrieved 24 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Honorary Captain(N) Sonja Ingrid Bata"](https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/139-286).

## Bibliography

- Bata, Thomas John; Sinclair, Sonja (1990). [*Bata: Shoemaker to the World*](https://books.google.com/books?id=5FwrNew3nm8C&pg=PA132). Bata. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7737-2416-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7737-2416-7).

- [Benstock, Shari](/source/Shari_Benstock); Ferriss, Suzanne (2001). [*Footnotes: On Shoes*](https://books.google.com/books?id=tUK8BP7OOJQC&pg=PA35). Rutgers University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8135-2871-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8135-2871-7).

- DeMello, Margo (10 September 2009). [*Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia*](https://books.google.com/books?id=LKTACQAAQBAJ&pg=PA32). ABC-CLIO. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-313-35715-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-313-35715-2).

- Grzeskowiak, Mark (16 April 2008). [*Toronto & Niagara Colourguide*](https://books.google.com/books?id=l9rjqnNd2w0C&pg=PA48). Formac Publishing Company Limited. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-88780-760-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-88780-760-2).

- Rezac, Darcy (2005). [*Work the Pond: Use the Power of Positive Networking to Leap Forward in Work and Life*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ajcXog5Ex6AC&pg=PA139). Prentice Hall Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7352-0402-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7352-0402-7).

v t e Bata Corporation Bata family Tomáš Baťa (founder) Jan Antonín Baťa Thomas J. Bata Sonja Bata Associated places Anaurilândia Batadorp Bataguassu Batayporã Batanagar Batapur Batawa Borovo Partizánske Svit Zlín Baťa's Skyscraper Tomas Bata University in Zlín Former properties Bata shoe factory Bata Shoes Head Office Related 4318 Baťa Bata Shoe Museum Zlin Aircraft

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND WorldCat National United States Czech Republic

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