- Date Of Birth: October 27, 1939
- Date Of Death: December 24, 2019
- State: Michigan
Zigrida (“Ziggy”) Petersons (nee Klauvetajs), age 80, passed away peacefully at her home on December 24, 2019. She was born October 27, 1939 in Riga, Latvia to Anna and Voldemars Klauvetajs.
She and her family fled Latvia in the midst of World War II and sought refuge in several displaced persons camps in Germany until the end of the War. In 1949, due in part to the Marshall Plan, her family gained sponsorship to the United States and moved to Linn, Kansas. They later relocated to Kalamazoo, Michigan where she graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School. She continued her education and earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University with a dual major in history and business. She married her husband of 37 years, Aivars Petersons on January 27, 1962. They had two children, Arvids and Ingrida.
Ziggy was a lifelong learner and was passionate about teaching. Her first love was history and she enjoyed sharing her extensive knowledge with everyone. She was also a gifted gardener, who became a Master Gardener and went on to lecture on (all aspects of) horticulture at Cox Arboretum and the University of Dayton. Her incredible life journey was commemorated in 2000 when she was selected as one of Dayton Daily News’ Top 10 women of the year.
She is preceded in death by her husband Aivars, parents Anna and Voldemars, brother Andris and sister in law, Lija. She is mourned by her daughter, Ingrida and son in law Tony, her son Arvids and daughter in law Krisleen, grandchildren, Kira, Raela, and Little Aivars, and her niece, Diana and nephew, Paul.
