Obituary of Rita Miesnieks

Rita (Caune) Miesnieks died peacefully at her home in East Brunswick, surrounded by her loved ones, on Friday, May 5, 2017. She was 91. Born in Dole, Latvia to Vera and Peteris Caune in 1925, she graduated from Christian Albrecht University in Kiel, Germany with a degree in dentistry. Prior to that she studied at The Baltic University, where she met her future husband Peteris Miesnieks. They were engaged in Germany, traveled separately to the United States following WWII and married there. She has lived in East Brunswick for the past 60 years, where she and her husband Peteris raised their family. Mrs. Miesnieks was a member of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Brunswick and Lakewood in East Brunswick, where she was an active participant in the Ladies Committee. She also belonged to the Latvian sorority Spidola, the American Latvian Association and the Latvian Society of New Jersey, through which she engaged in numerous charitable activities. In addition to her primary role as devoted wife and loving family matriarch, her interests included all of the arts, Latvian cuisine and entertaining and rose gardening. She treasured her Latvian heritage and always maintained close ties with relatives remaining in Latvia. Peteris Miesnieks, her husband of over 50 years, passed in 2009. Surviving are her son Andre Miesnieks and his wife Claudia Chesler of Chevy Chase, Maryland; two daughters – Mara Balsbaugh and her husband Duncan of Gloucester, Massachusetts and Ieva Rogers of Mendham, NJ; her brother – Mintauts Caune and his wife Ilga of East Brunswick; and seven grandchildren – Marissa and Andrea Miesnieks, Amanda Dappen and her husband Nate, Nicholas and Alexander Balsbaugh, and Oliver and Colton Rogers, all of whom were richly blessed by Rita's love. Visitation will be Friday from 11:00 AM to 12:00 Noon at the Latvian Lutheran Church, 12 Gates Avenue, East Brunswick immediately followed by a funeral service at 12:00 Noon. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to support the Latvian Historical Museum in Riga, Latvia http://okupacijasmuzejs.lv (checks payable to OMFA c/o Ilze Resnis, 10930 Nollwood Drive, Chardon, OH 44024). Arrangements are under the direction of Selover Funeral Home, 555 Georges Road, North Brunswick.