Olga Berzins

Olga Berzins of Indianapolis died August 20, 2019, age 96. Born in Ugale, Latvia, she graduated from high school and soon met and married the love of her life, Alfred Berzins. World War II disrupted their lives. In 1940, the Soviet Union had brutally annexed Latvia. This convinced them to flee for their lives. They arrived in Germany in 1944. There they endured much hardships as “displaced persons.” Olga gave birth to their daughter Sylvia. Finally, in 1951 United Bretheren sponsorship made emigration to the U.S.A. possible. They settled in Indianapolis and became the proudest of citizens in 1957. Olga worked at RCA and later, with retraining, at L.S. Ayres in bookkeeping. She and Alfred maintained their cultural ties by attending the Latvian Lutheran Church and Latvian Community Center. Olga loved books, poetry, music, and film. She loved being outdoors, and gardening, where she could listen to the birds singing. She loved her daughter and husband of 65 years, Alfred. She chose to dwell on the beauty of this world. She left this world more beautiful. She is survived by her daughter, Sylvia Berzins and a nephew in Latvia, Valters Grundmanis. A memorial service will take place on Sunday, October 20, 2019 at 12:15 PM at the Pleasant View Lutheran Church, 801 W. 73rd Street. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Indiana Chapter, P.O. Box 96011, Washington D.C., 20090. Please visit www.leppertmortuary.com to share a memory.