Skaidrite (Sky) Kaupins

SKAIDRITE (SKY) KAUPINS

Marion

Skaidrite (Sky) Kaupins died peacefully Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, with family by her side. We rejoice that she is reunited with her husband and is now in the arms of our Lord.

Sky was born in Riga, Latvia, the daughter of Erichs and Anna Akots in 1925. She lived in Riga through the early part of World War II and experienced the initial Soviet and later Nazi occupation of the country. When the Soviets returned, she escaped into Germany with her parents. Her brother, Talrits, stayed in Riga but was captured by the Soviets. He was sent to work camps, but survived to live and work in Latvia for the rest of his life. Sky visited him once in his later years.

While in Germany, she was temporarily separated from her parents. She eventually found them by traveling by herself to several refugee camps. She and her parents were in Dresden during the carpet bombing of the city. They took the last train out and went west.

After the war, she attended Freiburg University in Germany. There she met her future husband, Alfred, who was very ill due to malnutrition. She helped him get stronger. During this time, they discovered they went to the same school together in Latvia but did not know each other. They fell in love and she married the "love of her life" on Dec. 31, 1949, in Biberach, Germany.

In March 1950, she and her husband, along with her parents, emigrated to the United States where they initially lived in La Grange, Texas, and then moved to San Antonio, Texas. While in San Antonio in 1951, Alfred and Sky's first son, Andris (Andy) was born while Alfred attended San Antonio Junior College.

In order to be part of a Latvian society, Sky and Alfred moved in 1953 to Minneapolis, Minn. In 1956, their second son, Gundars (Gundy), was born. In 1961, Alfred graduated from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minn., with a B.D. degree in theology. They moved to Sioux Center where Alfred served as minister at Peace Lutheran Church, Sioux Center, and Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Rock Valley, simultaneously. Sky served as a steadfast servant of the churches. She was the church secretary preparing bulletins for each service using those old mimeographs and attending various small group meetings.

They later went to Emanuel Lutheran Church, Strawberry Point; St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Tama; and finally St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Marion. At St. Marks, Sky was active in quilting circles, made lots of cookies for services and other events, and had many close friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Talrits; son, Andy; and husband, Alfred. She and Alfred were one month shy of celebrating their 66th wedding anniversary.

She is survived by her son, Gundy; daughter-in-law, Debby; and grandson, Kyle (16).

She loved her family and rejoiced in supporting more than 50 years of her husband's active Christian ministry. She touched the hearts of so many.

Special thanks to the nurses and staff at West Ridge Care Center and especially to her dear friends from St. Mark's who cared for and loved her deeply.

In lieu of flowers, she preferred memorial funds be donated towards her only grandchild's education.

Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 8300 C Ave. NE, Marion. Family will receive friends for visitation from 10 to

11 a.m.