Aija Horton

Aija Horton was born in Riga, Latvia, where her family had a substantial agricultural property and extensive real estate holdings in the capital city.  Fearing political persecution and worse, the family fled Riga before the advancing Russian army in 1944 and were fortunate to find transport to German on a German hospital ship.  They managed to stay safe amid the conflict in Germany with some close calls, including the fire bombing in Dresden when a bomb hit their apartment building failed to detonate. 

Toward the end of the war, the family was working on a farm in southern Germany in an area that was liberated by France and its allies.  To avoid being handed over to the Russians by occupancy French forces, Aija’s father was able to make contact with the former mayor of Riga who was working with the American Red Cross in Ulm. From him they managed to obtain documents guaranteeing safe passage to the American sector.  At war’s end they made their way to a Latvian displaced person facility in Esslingen just south of Stuttgart.  Aija’s father, who had been a chemistry professor at the University of Riga, taught himself English while in Esslingen and obtained a position at the University of Leeds in Yorkshire where the family moved in 1948. 

In 1951, the family emigrated to the United States, first to NYC, then Chicago, then Wilmington, Delaware.  Aija attended Steinmetz High School in Chicago and graduated from A.I. DuPont High School in Wilmington, Delaware. 

Following graduation from high school Aija enrolled at the University of Delaware.  While working at Clairol in Stamford, CT, Aija excelled at Columbia University.  She then decided to study in Germany and enrolled at the University in Freiburg in Breisgau.  While in Freiburg, she met Jon at the university in 1963.  Aija returned to the U.S. in early 1964, and the two of them courted by correspondence until they were married in December 1965, in Yonkers, NY.

While living in Evanston, IL where Jon was in graduate school at Northwestern University, Aija worked at St. Francis Hospital in two of its laboratories.  Our son Chris was born in Evanston in 1967.

In 1967 Jon and Aija moved to Spokane, Washington, when Jon accepted a position at Gonzaga University.  While in Spokane Aija taught German in junior high school.  While in Spokane Aija’s interest in weaving was sparked. 

In 1971, Jon and Aija returned to Illinois.  Aija continued intensive interest in weaving and played an active role in Joliet Weavers Guild (later to become the Illinois Prairie Weavers Guild).  Aija volunteered at Mutual Ground in Aurora, a women’s advocacy, and shelter organization; Community Contacts in Geneva, a social services organization; was active in the Batavia League of Women Voters, including its presidency; volunteered at church, the Batavia Public Library, and Hesed House in Aurora.  Aija also worked at Batavia’s Montessori School for several years. 

Her son Chris, his wife, and daughters live in Mason, MI.  Chris is a clinical licensed social worker.  His wife Jennifer is a speech pathologist. 

We have been fortunate to travel extensively and study again in Germany in 2004 and 2005.  We have owned second homes in Scottsdale and Prescott, AZ and Door County, WI.

Before moving to The Holmstad, we built a home on Deerpath Road just west of here where we had horses and Jon discovered polo.  We built a second home on Nelson Lake Road, same horses.  Then we owned a condo on Batavia’s southwest side before moving to the Holmstad for health reasons.

Aija was pre-deceased by her sister and brother-in law Ruta and Rick Weber, and brother Janis.  She is survived by her niece, Natalie Weber and her Naofel; sister-in-law, Janelle Hennen Fent and her husband George, their children Laurel (Craig) Bingaman and Nathan Hennenfent and many nieces and nephews. 

All funeral services were held privately.  Moss Family Funeral Homes, 630-879-7900, www.mossfuneral.com