Gunars Seskis

Gunars Seskis, 68, passed away Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 7:47 pm. A memorial service will be held 1 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2009, at Hamilton's Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street. Visitation will be held one hour before the service.
Gunars is survived by his wife Kathryn, son Andris (Stephanie) Seskis, grand daughter Maiga Andrea, son Erik Seskis, grandsons Tim, Kire and grand-daughter Tori, son Stefan (Jill) Seskis, granddaughter Shellagh, daughter Catherine (Steve) Harmes, granddaughter Amber, great-grandson Kale and great-granddaughters Mc Kayla and McKenzie and grandson Zachery, daughter Cheryl (Robert) Hites, grandson Brandon Crees, great-grandson Nathaniel Brent, granddaughter Megan (Jerry) Courter and great-grandson Urijah Dean, grandson Robert John Hites Jr., daughter Christine (Richard) Chapman, grandson William (Ashley) and great-grandson Elijah, grandson Christopher, sister Ruta and brother Modris (Maureen) Seskis, nephews Mike, Mark, Mat and great nephews Bret and Brian.
Gunars was born to Arvids and Zelma Seskis on 4/22/1941 in Cesis, Latvia. The family was on a list to be deported to Siberia. Arvids found this out in time to make the move to Germany. With Communist encroachment, the father arranged safe passage for Zelma, Modris, Gunars, and Ruta as Arvids stayed to fight. Zelma reached Germany Oct. 1944 by boat. They were taken by train to a displaced person's camp. The bunkbeds were all taken so the family was forced to sleep on the floor. There were no lights because of the air raids. Gunars was 3½ years old. The next day they received a mattress and bunkbeds.
Next was a trip to Dresden, Germany. Shortly after the journey to Czechoslovakia, the Dresden camp was bombed. In Czechoslovakia they slept on straw which was infested with fleas, bedbugs and lice.
Near the end of World War II Russia liberated the camps. The Russians decided to send displaced families back to Latvia. The family at this point walked to an American camp. Their hopes were lifted when they moved to a German castle in Rotenburg. They were treated to big rooms, mattress and a small space for a garden. There were kitchens and dining rooms. Gunars got blood poisoning from a rusty nail and ear infection in Rotenburg.
Finally they had the opportunity to come to America. Karlos signed papers to provide for the children and a family from Texas agreed to be the sponsor. Karlos traveled by ship to America by himself to make arrangements with the sponsor Jan. 29, 1950. While en route he received word that the sponsor had cancelled. Under the care of Lutheran World Relief, Wilber and Beth Meyer from Mason agreed to sponsor the family.
Finally, Zelma, Ruta-7, Gunars-8 and Modris-10 arrived in Texas. Wilber & Beth spoke German as did the St. Paul Lutheran Church minister. Education was difficult since the children spoke no English.
Zelma and Karlos were married on March 1, 1950. The family lived with their sponsor and eventually a home was provided for them. Gunars spent a lot of time on the river and loved the outdoors. In appreciation of nature he collected rattlesnakes' rattlers, deer, armadillos and all sorts of creatures.
In 1951, Karlos, Zelma and the children joined Karlos' mother and sisters and a nephew in Des Moines. They became members of the Latvia community and First Evangelical Church. Gunars met Ilze while participating in Latvia folk dancing. He married Ilze and had three boys, Andris, Erik and Stefan. He worked in roofing, remodeling and construction and became a self-taught jack of all trades. Finally he began to work for Ryko Mfg.
Gunars lost his wife Ilze to cancer. While working at Ryko he met Kathryn. In May of 1988 Gunars and Kathryn were married. Gunars' family grew from three boys to three boys and three girls. His first and foremost passion was carpentry and woodworking. Gunars retired at age 65 from Ryko. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting and Prairie Meadows.

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