Sonja Bata

• Name — Sonja Bata • Birth Name — Sonja Ingrid Wettstein • Born — 8 November 1926 • Birthplace — Zürich, Switzerland • Died — 20 February 2018 • Place of death — Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Burial Place — Mount Pleasant Cemetery • Other Names — Sonja Baťová • Occupation — Businesswoman, philanthropist, collector and museum founder • Children — 4 • Relatives — Tomáš Baťa (father-in-law)

• Illustration — Bata Shoe Museum She left her architecture studies after her marriage to Thomas J. Bata of Bata Shoes. In 1946 she moved to Toronto, where she befriended local architects. Among them were Raymond Moriyama, who later designed the Bata Shoe Museum, and John Cresswell Parkin, who designed the Don Mills headquarters of Bata Shoes and the family's country house in Batawa. Though she had earlier envisioned herself to become an architect, she set her designs on improving the Bata Shoe company. • Illustration — 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, and the core collection is attributed to Bata. She was the museum's chairperson. Bata was also the chair of the National Design Council (1970s). She helped establish the Toronto French School, served as director the Art Gallery of Ontario, sat on the boards of Alcan and Canada Trustco (now TD Canada Trust), affiliated with the World Wildlife Fund, and became an Honorary Captain in the RCN and sponsor of HMCS Ottawa. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1983. 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.

She had four children. Her father-in-law is Tomáš Baťa, the founder of Bata Shoes.

Sonja Bata was recorded at birth as Sonja Wettstein. The authorities additionally record the headings Sonja I. Bata, Sonja Baťová, Sonja Ingrid Bata, Sonja I. Bata-Wettstein and Sonja Bata-Wettstein. She married Thomas J. One child is recorded: Rosemarie Blyth-Bata.

Sonja Bata is recorded with the occupation entrepreneur. Recorded as architect and entrepreneur.