Obituary of Aria TETERIS

February 11, 1923 – Mazsalaca, Latvia
February 11, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

Aria Teteris went to her final rest on Thursday, February 11, 2021, on her 98th birthday, following a tough battle with Alzheimer's for almost two decades.

Arija Zenta Tilts was born in 1923 at Josts farm near Mazsalaca, Latvia.  She and her sister fled Latvia during WWII as young girls, and spent some years in a camp in Germany, where she studied as a dental assistant supporting her sister Valda's university studies. She came to Canada in 1948 and settled in Lethbridge, where she worked for Galt Hospital. It was there she met Viesturis, also recently arrived from Latvia, and they married in 1950. They bought a home in the Lakeview area and lived there almost fifty years. Aria took great pride in her home and her large garden, and from sunup to sundown would be found tending to her fruits, vegetables, and flowers. She freely shared the bounty of her garden at harvest time, and every August friends and neighbours looked forward to a basket of lush tomatoes. Every fall she filled an entire wall in the basement with her jars of jams, jellies, and preserves from the garden, that fed the household all year. Her family and friends were also blessed with her cooking skills and great meals (and even better desserts) flowed from her tiny kitchen with no dishwasher every day. People were always asking for her recipe for this and that. Even into her eighties neighbors shared that the light was still on in her kitchen into the early morning hours. Aria valued healthy quality food and always recycled grass clippings and organic waste back into her garden, shopped at specific groceries, farmer’s markets or bought meat and dairy from friend’s farms. She enjoyed fashion, jewelry and accessorizing her outfits. In the evenings, her ancient treadle sewing machine could often be heard whirring away as she made and repaired the family’s clothing. She enjoyed being lucky by entering contests because her name was often drawn. She insisted on not giving up her consecutive wringer washing machines, hanging out the laundry in the fresh air or basement in the winter, ironing bed linens or tea towels and only conceded to a clothes dryer in later years. She kept in touch with the family in Latvia and her Latvian heritage, attending several Song Festivals. She also supported the family in the old country by sending hard-to-find goods. Outside the home, she enjoyed bowling for many years. She loved music and she sang in the church choir at Christ Trinity Lutheran Church, where her husband Ted was counselor and treasurer for several decades. Aria and Ted also enjoyed evenings with their many friends at the Elks and German Canadian Club, church functions as well as attending accounting conferences.

Most recently, Aria had been living at Trinity Assisted Living for three years where she rejuvenated and thrived; then Chinook Care Centre in Calgary for twelve years, again outlasting the other residents in her unit. Aria's family would like to thank the doctors and staff of both facilities who provided excellent care and support during her time there.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Sandi Smith of Calgary; her son Andrew Teteris (June) of Toronto; her niece Rena Upitis of Yarker; nephew Ivar Upitis (Sylvie) of Ottawa as well as great-nephews Brencis, Marcis, Hayden and great-nieces Kora and Zinta. Aria was predeceased by her parents, Peteris and Anna Tilts in Latvia; her husband of forty-six years, Viesturis (Ted); her sister Daila Valda Upitis (Ziggy), her younger brother Imants in childhood and older brother Ojars who passed in WW II.

Memorial donations in memory of Aria may be made to Alzheimer's Society Canada at donorserve@alzheimer.ca; or in honour of Aria, please do something kind for someone else.

A service will be held at a later time. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Aria’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

In living memory of Aria & Ted Teteris, two trees will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.