Ernests Vildavs

Ernests Vildavs, 78, of Willimantic, husband of Irene (Sube) Vildavs, died Saturday morning Jan. 18, 2014. He was born April 10, 1935 in Riga, Latvia and resided in Germany from 1944 to 1951 when he came to the United States and arrived in Willimantic the following year. Ernests was a U.S. Army veteran stationed in Germany from 1958 to 1960. It was there he met and married Irene. He was a member of the Latvian Lutheran Church in Manchester. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son Olavs Vildavs and his wife Lisa of WI, two daughters in law, Barbara Vildavs of Moosup and Becky Vildavs of Mansfield; a brother Osvalds Vildavs of FL, a sister Arija Spencer of AZ and six grandchildren. He was predeceased by two sons, Andis and Arturs. His family will receive relatives and friends on Friday Jan. 24, 2014 between 10:30 and 11:00am prior to an 11:00am funeral service at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic. Interment will be in the spring in Latvian Memorial Park, Elka Park, NY. In lieu of flowers, his family suggests memorial donations to Latvian Lutheran Church, Manchester, CT. For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .