This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: WHL44 Surnames: GRINTALS, BURKETT, MARTIN, JODO Classification: obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.michigan.counties.kalamazoo/26954/mb.ashx Message Board Post: GRINTALS, Mrs. Anastasija "Anna" Kalamazoo, MI Passed away on August 25, 2010 with her loving family at her side. Her children, Gus (Mary) Grintals, Mara (James) Burkett; and grandchildren, Lisa Martin, Max Burkett, and Gabe Burkett will deeply miss their mother and grandmother. In 1977 Anna was preceded in death by her husband of 32 years, Janis Grintals and in 1978; her sister-in-law, Alma Grintals. She was also preceded in death, by her daughter, Anita Martin in 1999. Anna was born Anastasija Jodo in rural Poland and left home as a young girl to seek employment in Latvia. It was there that she met her future husband, Janis Grintals. Janis and Anastasija fled Latvia together in 1944 and were married soon after. They spent their first six year together in displaced persons' camps in Germany and finally secured passage to the USA in 1950. Anna's involvement in the Kalamazoo Latvian community centered around her close friends and membership in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran United Church where her skills as a baker of Latvian pastries were legendary. Anastasija, known by h! er grandchildren as "Vija" always loved working in her garden and cooking family dinners. It is an understatement to say that Vija devoted her later life to the care and feeding of her roses and her grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday, August 28 at 12 PM, with Rev. Biruta Puike officiating. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Please make memorial contributions to The Latvian Evangelical Lutheran United Church, 122 Cherry Hill, Kalamazoo, MI 49006. JOLDERSMA & KLEIN 917 S. Burdick 343-2628 Published in Kalamazoo Gazette on August 27, 2010 (Posted by a VOLUNTEER-NO family connection) Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.