Biruta “Ruta” Grasis, born in Liepaja, Latvia, took her last breath Wednesday, December 7th, 2022. She celebrated her 97th birthday on August 24th, and left us peacefully after succumbing to congestive heart failure. Our “Nani” was an incredible woman who lived a full life. She will be remembered for her natural jocularity, fiery candor, and immense generosity for those things she cared for most.
Ruta’s tenacity was no doubt built and tested during WWII when she and her mother narrowly avoided capture by Russian Communist soldiers in their takeover of her Latvian homeland. Her father and many other influential Latvians were not as lucky, and were sent to the frozen forced labor camps of Siberia, never to be heard from again. This tragedy shaped Ruta’s character and the way she approached life, giving her an unwavering appreciation of the freedoms afforded in the United States. Shortly after the war she met the love of her life, August Grasis in a Displaced Persons Camp in Germany where they conspired to immigrate to the United States and begin their life together. She paved the way for August by working as a housekeeper in Greenwich CT until he could finish college in post-war Germany and join her here. She referred to August as The Head of our family, where Nani proudly served the ever-imperative role as The Neck.
Moving to Kansas City from Chicago in 1964, they chose Weatherby Lake as their lifelong home. She and August travelled extensively throughout the United States and Europe, and in recent years split her time evenly between the beach at South Padre, Texas and the mountains of Vail, Colorado. Nani was forever “with it,” staying up to date on Facebook, measuring her vitals with her iWatch, or staying in touch with her family and friends on her iPhone. An expert in Sudoku, a wizard at Hearts and a master at predicting the ending of every Hallmark Movie were just few of the things that kept her mind sharp to the end. We will remember her as the consummate hostess and entertainer, her witty levity, her empathetic and accepting nature, and her friendly and welcoming manner.
She left us with indelible life lessons including: The significant balance between humility and elegance, the foundation of tenacity and perseverance, and the importance of treating others with love and grace, as well as an April Fools’ prank delivered perfectly. Nani never took herself too seriously, but reminded us subtly how serious life can be. “She was truly an exceptional person and a role model for how to live life fully and age gracefully. The last of an era.”
Ruta will be welcomed into eternity by her husband of 62 years, August Grasis II who passed in 2012. Three generations of admiring family will forever celebrate her, including her three children, Mara Garton, August (Augie) Grasis III and Nora Kristina Grasis-Jenkins; ten grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren, including Shannon Eckdahl, Ryan Sutton, Bentley Garton, Aspen Woolery, Lindsay Hatcher, Lara Golos, Madison Garton, Gordy Jenkins, Emerson Jenkins and Augi Helling, their loving spouses and exceptional children.
A celebration of life will be held on December 17, 2022 at 130pm at the Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel of Park University, 8701 NW River Park Dr, Parkville MO 64152.
In lieu of flowers, Ruta would appreciate your generosity toward the HELD foundation, a charity established by August and Ruta to provide aid to elderly and scholarships to students in their beloved Latvia. (HELD—Ruta Grasis Memorial, 9404 NW 80 Ter, Weatherby Lake, MO 64152)
My prayers for the family of Rita; ‘a life well lived’. Another member of the greatest generation has passed, was appreciated and will be greatly missed. Condolences to your beautiful family.
Sorry spell checker changed Ruta to Rita. My apologies
What a beautiful life story of a wonderful woman. Memories of her and August will be blessings that stay with you forever. I hold you all in my heart.
Ruta, a beautiful lady you were.
Always loved being in her presence and having the pleasure of a conversation with her and that wonderful accent.
You will be missed by so many.
Marcia & Norm Runyon
She even made my dental office seem elegant when she was there!
One of my favorites: Mark and Augie were at August’s and Ruta’s dock and Augie told Mark he would go get some water for them to drink and came down with glass glasses because everything else was crystal!
No plastic there💕. I loved her.
Our prayers to all the Grasis family. What an incredible, wonderful life! We feel fortunate to have met Ruta, only once, will always remember her as lovely and fun.
Hugs,
Tom and Trina
Ruta set the bar high for a life well lived and graciously shared with all those who had the joy to meet her and those who knew her. Larry and I came to WBL in 1985 on the Eastsiide of the lake ..she and August was one of the first couples to welcome us to the Lake that summer . Larry and I send prayers for healing to her family.
Ruta and August are always missed each time we take out the vintage cars for an outing as we did with August and Ruta through the mountains of Colorado OR dining experiences at each other’s homes or local restaurants . They were a wonderful couple of the world that everyone loved. We miss them both and are glad they are together again. Our love to them and their family.❤️
Dear Augie, and family
So saddened to hear about your mother’s passing
Dee and I were blessed to get to know her and spend some time talking with her
Love, Dee & Wayne
Cecil and I have always been enamored with Ruth’s humor and lovability. She will be missed by us and so many others. She was an great example of how to live life with dignity.,
Our condolences to the Grasis family. What an honor it was to know and talk to Ruta! May she rest in peace.
Condolences to the Grasis family
Such a remarkable Lady to be admired .
May She rest in peace and serve as an Angel to the Grasis family.
What a life story she lived! Her tenacity and grace will live on in her children and grandchildren. Love to all the family.
What a beautiful tribute to an incredible woman!
We feel very fortunate to have spent time with Nani during our visits to KC. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Love,
Tim, Jeanne, Emily Kate, and Abigail
What a wonderful lady! My sincere condolences to the family for your loss.
Ruta was a class act as was August. Reunited in Heavan. Where she is putting on a dinner party. Our loss is heavens gain. Your lovely accents even though silenced, will always be remembered…RIP
We had a very special and wonderful friendship with Ruta and August for many years, and spoke with Ruta on the telephone shortly near the end. She was having difficulty speaking, but in typical Ruta fashion when we asked how she was doing her answer, as was to be expected, I am O.K. but how about you two? Such was Ruta, always concerned about everyone else.
As we were concluding our conversation with her, we were on the speaker phone together, and both said goodbye and we love you. And we still do. Our sympathy and prayers go out the the entire Grasis family. But Ruta is free now and able to rejoin with the Love of her Life, August, so they may continue their Love Story together,
You asked me to write you a letter my dear friend but you left this world before I got the chance to write it. I didn’t know you very well but you were the sweetest person I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting , and I enjoyed talking to and spending time with you and your wonderful family. You were a beautiful soul with a heart of gold and just all around awesome. I will forever cherish the special moments that we had my friend, you will always have a special place in my heart Ms. Ruta