- Date Of Birth: November 11, 1937
- Date Of Death: June 27, 2018
- State: Michigan
Ruta passed away peacefully surrounded by family on June 27, 2018 at her home. She was born on November 11, 1937 in Saldus, Latvia a daughter of Eriks and Valija (Vilemsons) Neimanis.
At the age of 12 Ruta was forced out of her Saldus, Latvia home by the Russian communists leaving her father behind and soon becoming a refugee in Anpsach, Bavaria, Germany displaced person’s camp. She and her family immigrated to Mississippi in 1949. Ruta and family worked picking cotton on the farm their sponsor owned in Mississippi.
In 1953 Ruta moved to Kalamazoo and joined the Kalamazoo Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church where she was active in the Congregation’s Woman’s Auxiliary for many years. She graduated from Western Michigan University in 1959 and began her employment with the Upjohn Company in the patent law department. Ruta retired from Pharmacia in 1999.
Ruta enjoyed her family and spending time with children and grandchildren. She also loved to work in her garden as well as camping.
On July 11, 1959, Ruta married Aldonis Mezsets who survives. Also surviving are two children, Eriks (Kristen) Mezsets and Norma (Daryl) Stevens, all of Kalamazoo; three grandchildren, Mara (Dan) Asher, Justin Mezsets and Aleksandra Stevens; a brother Leon Neimanis of Miami, FL; and several nieces and nephews.
