Meta Dobelis 1917-2000

DOBELIS, KYMMEL, PALAPA

Posted By: David Hellwege (email)
Date: 6/27/2006 at 13:21:26

Meta Dobelis, 83, Ogden, and formerly of Waverly, died Thursday at Boone County Hospital of congestive heart failure. She was born Oct. 29, 1917, in Lebedjan, Russia, where her parents had fled during World War I from their native Latvia, the daughter of Ernests and Amalija (Kymmel) Palapa. She married Eduards Dobelis Nov. 30, 1940.

She was baptized and confirmed at St. Anna's Lutheran Church in Leipaja, Latvia and attended public school there until the age of 13. She then attended high school for five years and took special classes in business and commerce. Following her graduation, she worked in a forestry job from 1938 to 1940, where she met her future husband. In 1944, during World War II, she and her husband were forced to flee to Germany to avoid deportation to Siberia by the Communist Russians. They lived in a displaced persons camp in Germany until March of 1949, then were allowed to immigrate to the United States. Through the help of the Lutheran World Federation, the family settled in Waverly, where they made their home. In 1969, she began working as a sales clerk for B.E. Mick's clothing store, a job she held for 20 years. She became sick with cancer in june of this year and moved to Ogden to make her home with her son and daughter-in-law. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Waverly and was active with the Waverly Municipal Hospital Auxiliary. She never forgot her native Lativa, and over the years, had developed many relationships with fellow Latvians in Iowa and in Chicago.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband on April 19, 1977; and sister, Irma, in infancy. Survivors include two daughters, Silvija Sils of Riga, Latvia, and Gundega Walton of Milwaukee, Wis.; one son and daughter-in-law, Edmund P. and Patricia Dobelis of Ogden; one grandson, Janis Sils of New York; two granddaughters, Kara and Erin Dobelis of Ogden; and one sister, Tamara Krutainas of Liepaja, Latvia.

The body has been cremated.

Memorial services will be held at 11a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Waverly. Burial of the cremains will be be in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Waverly.

Memorials may be given to St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Kaiser-Corson Funeral Home in Waverly is in charge of arrangements.

[Source Boone News-Republican via the WWW.]