Anda Grasis

Anda Grasis, 92, of Manchester, beloved wife of the late Indulis "Indy" Grasis, passed away peacefully Christmas Eve at home surrounded by her loving family. She was born on December 4, 1932 in Riga, Latvia, the daughter of Adolfs and Benita (Brozins) Cops and stepfather Jekabs Plavins. She spent her childhood in Latvia and together with her parents, fled her native land in 1944 in fear of another genocide by the recurrent occupation of Latvia by the Soviet communist regime. They arrived in war torn Germany and eventually settled in a displaced persons' refugee camp in Wurzburg, under the protection of the International Refugee Organization (IRO).
In 1949, the family came to the United States, sponsored by the National Lutheran Council, and settled in Willimantic, CT. Anda graduated with honors from Windham High School in Willimantic and attended the University of Connecticut where she graduated with high honors from the School of Nursing in 1957. Anda worked at Hartford Hospital as a Registered Nurse most notably caring for the hospital's first AIDS patients. She was also a lifetime member of the Latvian sorority Imeria. Anda and Indy wed in1959, and were happily married until his passing in 2010. She was an active member of the American Evangelical Latvian Lutheran Church of Manchester and served as Church Council President for a number of years.
Anda leaves her daughter Andra Sarmite Grasis with her partner Steven Zapantis of Virginia, her twin sons Peter Grasis with wife Melissa of Virginia, and Robert Grasis with wife Carol of Vernon, Connecticut. She will also be lovingly remembered by her grandchildren: Heidi Cooper with husband Glenn, Kiley Grasis, Isabel Grasis, Jacob Grasis with wife McKenzie, John Grasis, Rebecca Blaisdell and Logan Blaisdell, and two great-grandsons: Wyatt and Nolan Cooper. She also leaves a half-sister, Astrid Liepins of Canada and her dearest cousin, Laila Kienel of Belgium, as well as other dear relatives in Latvia and neighbors and friends.
The family wishes to thank all those who cared for and supported Anda and her family during her illness both with their professional expertise and wonderful humanity especially Erin, Lisa and the entire hospice team at the Visiting Nurse & Health Services of Connecticut. Thank you one and all!
Calling hours are on Thursday, January 2 from 4-7 PM at the Holmes-Watkins Funeral Home, 400 Main Street, Manchester. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM on Friday, January 3, at the American Ev. Latvian Lutheran Church of Manchester (at the Holy Transfiguration Romanian Orthodox Church), 2 Winter Street. Burial will follow in East Cemetery, Manchester. Memorial donations in Anda Grasis' name may be made to the Visiting Nurse & Health Services of Connecticut, 8 Keynote Drive, Vernon, CT 06066. To sign the online guest book or for directions to the funeral home please visit www.holmeswatkins.com.