Juris Eric Kaugerts

Juris Eric Kaugerts departed on his final journey shortly after noon, August 17, 2023; passing peacefully in his sleep. Born in Riga, Latvia on 09/24/1940, his love for travel began the following year when the family moved first to Germany and then New York City in 1949, prior to settling in Pompton Lakes, NJ. He graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology where he also earned a Ph.D. in Physics. He became a member of the Latvian Selonia fraternity and participated in meetings and galas with his father, Bruno until 1995. Juris traveled frequently to Latvia and Germany.

He worked at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab., Princeton University Plasma Physics Lab., Brookhaven National Lab., Singer, Kearfott Division, Oxford Superconducting Technology, Superconducting Supercollider Laboratory on Long Island, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (guest scientist), BWX Technologie. His work on the Superconductor in Long Island for the US Department of Energy spanned the majority of his career, and he worked in a similar position in Karlsruhe, Germany, where he worked past the mandatory age of retirement.

He enjoyed singing especially in various choirs, dancing, riding his BMW motorcycle across the USA, and a refreshing Heineken. He was a positive and gentle spirit with a quick sense of humor delivered with a twinkle in his eye.

He is pre-deceased by his parents, Bruno and Benita Kaugerts and the mother of his children, Barbara Irving. He is survived by his wife, Diana Perkett; his children, Eric, Peter and Elizabeth Kaugerts, step-children Allison Perkett and Brandon (Lisa) Perkett; his grandchildren Jacob Alexander Kaugerts Ala, Emily Liana Ala, Peyton Demar, Alta Doris Perkett and Wyatt Perkett; his sister, Liane Dagnija Kaugerts Finch; his nieces Jillian Kane, Indra Finch, Jennifer Lewis, nephew, John G. Finch, III, good friends Iveta Romancuka and Anthony Oliveri, a host of friends in Hartland, VT and members of the Unitarian Church located in picturesque, Woodstock, VT.