Lidija Michelsons

Lydia lived to be 104 years old. Someone wrote a paperback booklet biography about her life. She was a devoted widow to Cap. Janis Michelsons who was at least 20 years older than her. The children of Janis and others in the community shunned poor Lydia because she was just a servant marrying Janis. They gossiped about her and the family of Janis would not attend their wedding. I understand it had been quite some years since the first wife of Janis had died, but still the adult children of the first wife Anna were unkind to their young step-mother not much older than them.

After Janis died and was buried in the ancient Riga cemetery Lydija was devoted in maintaining his grave and even protecting it from vandals. When many graves were being vandalized, she took the cross broken off from the grave and hid it for many years. Later when it seemed safe she glued it back on and photographed the grave for the great grandson of Janis in Seattle, USA.

I have to look for the biography of Lydija and the photos and letters she sent to her step family who immigrated to Seattle.