Elza Brigmanis

Elza (Pochevis) Brigmanis, 102, of Willimantic, died Friday, October 9, 2009 in Windham. She was born in Latvia on November 28, 1906. She had two brothers. While in high school she also attended a private music school where she took lessons in piano playing. After graduating from high school, she started to work for Latvia's Postal Service and passed exams to become a Postmaster Assistant. In 1933 she was married to Voldemars Brigmanis. At the end of the second World War, she and her husband fled to Germany to escape the advancing Red Army. In 1950 they came to the United States and settled in Willimantic. That same year Latvians in Willimantic established a Latvian Lutheran congregation and asked Elza to be their organist. She served in this capacity for 44 years and retired in 1994 due to poor eyesight. Her husband passed away in 1978 and Elza suffered a stroke in 1999.She then moved to the Card Home for the Aged where she lived until the end of April 2003. At that time she suffered a second stroke and moved to Douglas Manor. Elza and Voldemars did not have any children. She is survived by a nephew, Edmund Brigmanis of Manchester, NJ, a niece and a nephew in Sweden. Her funeral service will be Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 11:00 am at Latvian Lutheran Church, 76 Windham Rd., Willimantic, CT. 06226. Burial will follow in New Willimantic Cemetery. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the church. Please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com for online memorial guest book.