Alexandra Ozolins

December 6, 1919 — January 30, 2009

Alexandra(Andra Mironva), 89, transcended this life on January 30, 2009 in Spencer, Iowa. Alexandra was born in Liepaja, Latvia on December 6, 1919, the daughter of Goergi and Biruta Mironva. She was majoring in Philosophy and History at the University of Riga when the Second War threw her life into chaos. After losing her husband, Harry Smelis, she fled her homeland with her 82-year-old grandmother, mother, and newborn daughter Marina, to evade the advancing Russian Army and subsequent seventy year Russian occupation. She and her family crossed through war torn Eastern Europe on foot, her grandmother paralyzed and in a wheelchair and her newborn daughter. They crossed during the frenzied last months of the war when battle lines were shifting and fighting was everywhere. She also survived the fire bombing of Dresden and many other horrors of the war. At the end of the war she and her family were forced to live in a refugee camp, in Wolterdingen, Germany, for eight years and were designated as "Displaced Persons" During her eight years in the camp she met Dr. Julijs Ozolins, and remarried. In 1952, the Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa sponsored her entire family to immigrate into the United States. Her Grandmother passed away in Cedar Falls and the rest of the family moved to Spencer, Iowa, in 1954, where she spent the rest of her life in peace working and raising her six children; Marina, Uwe, David, Elina, Maija, and Paul. Her family grew to include three son-in-laws and one daughter-in-law, Terry Arshem, Ken Leander, Steve Wahl and Cheryl Jacobsen. She had seven grandchildren Angela and Christina Arshem, Jessica and Nathan Wahl, Ashley Herskind, Sophia and Julia Ozolins, and her three great grandchildren are Corrin and David Gillespie and Lily Thom. Alexandra loved music, gardening, reading her many wonderful books, her many pets, and all nature .She loved her home, especially sitting in her beautiful backyard. She was active in the community as PTA president and working with People for Pets. Alexandra was a remarkable woman who lived a remarkable life.

SERVICES

Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, March 14, 2009, at the First Congregational Church in Spencer.

OFFICIATING

Rev.Tom VanTassell Rev. Wendy VanTassell

CASKET BEARERS

VISITATION

MUSIC

INTERMENT

Burial will be in Latvia at a later date.

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