Exile From Latvia: My WWII Childhood - From Survival to Opportunity
Harry G. Kapeikis, born July 22, 1935 in Riga, Latvia, is the Harijs in the memoir. Toward the end of World War II, Harry's family fled the Soviet army in a southwest direction toward the advancing US and British forces in Germany. In June of 1945, the family came under the protection of the US forces and eventually found temporary refuge in a Displaced Persons' camp in Haunstetten, near Augsburg, Germany. As the camps were to be closed by July 1950, the Kapeikis' family took the opportunity to emigrate to the United States in March of 1949, settling in Tacoma, Washington, where Harry finished his secondary education. Harry earned a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the University of Washington in 1960 and a Master of Divinity degree from Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1968. In 1957, Harry married JoAnn Doubek. In 1968 the couple moved to Canada. Harry and JoAnn now live in Penticton, British Columbia and are the proud parents of a married son, Paul (Louise), with two daughters and a son; and a married daughter, Cheryl (Eric) Hofman with three daughters. Harry has written a number of skits performed in his congregations, as well as The Fourth Gift, a Christmas play performed two seasons in Seattle, Washington, and a one hour Easter play, In the Spirit of Easter, performed in Seattle, Washington; Lafayette, California; Calgary, Alberta; Penticton and Winfield, British Columbia.