John A. Lubans, 98, of Sandown, NH, died Friday, June 27, 2008 in the Fox Den Retirement Community, Sandown. Mr. Lubans was born in Ludza, Latvia on April 20, 1910, a son of the late Antons and Marta (Dauksts) Lubans. John grew up on the family farm in rural Latvia with three brothers and a sister. His father died when John was young, and life on the farm was difficult. But he learned to work hard, and persevered in the face of difficulty throughout his life. After high school he was accepted into the Latvian Military Academy, and he graduated as a Lieutenant in the Latvian Army. He eventually attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During World War II, when Latvia was overrun by the Soviet Union, he escaped with his wife and three sons to Germany where they stayed in a displaced persons camp for five years. His oldest brother, a police officer, with his wife and two young children had been deported by the Soviets to a labor camp in Siberia, where he and his infant son died. His next older brother escaped, eventually settling in Australia. His sister and younger brother, a surgeon, remained in Latvia. In 1949, John was able to emigrate with his family to Greenfield, Massachusetts, and start a new life in the United States. He maintained contact with his siblings and with other Latvian friends and relatives throughout his life. One of his great joys was to see Latvia gain her independence in 1991.
After coming to the United States, he held many different jobs to make ends meet, studied drafting and eventually found his way into home construction. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1958, one of his proudest achievements. He carried on a successful homebuilding business for more than 25 years on the South Shore in Massachusetts, eventually earning a reputation for honesty and quality that endures to this day. He had also belonged to the National Association of Home Builders. In 1964 he purchased a cottage in Maine that reminded him of Latvia, and he enjoyed spending time there with his family. He was an avid water skier. He read widely, especially books about history, and was also enamored of the culture of the American West. The Old West first captured his imagination as a boy in Latvia, watching Tom Mix movies, and carried through to his admiration for Ronald Reagan as president. He and his wife enjoyed western riding, and made several vacation trips to a dude ranch in Tucson.
John was healthy and strong throughout his life, a “clean liver” who took daily walks and liked nothing better than to have something to work on. His children have many reminders in their homes of his carpentry skills. It was the rare visit that did not see him pulling out his tools to fix or build something. In his final years at Fox Den he continued his walking and resolutely maintained his independence, determined to go out “with his boots on”.
His family extends special thanks to Steve and Cindy Patterson, owners of Fox Den Retirement Community, Sandown, NH, and their staff. He lived his final years there with happiness, dignity and comfort among friends. Their kindness and selflessness will live on in our memory of John’s last days.
He is survived by three sons, Andrew Lubans and his companion Suzie (Kutzenberger) of Richmond, VA, John A. Lubans, Jr. and his wife Sheryl (Anspaugh) of Durham, NC, Valdis Lubans and his wife Sandra of Harwinton, CT, a daughter, Eva Baughman and her husband Paul of Exeter, NH, 11 grandchildren, Stephanie, Dace, John III, Mara, Markus, Christopher, David, Amanda, Laura, Erika and Peter, three great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild, a brother, Dr. Stanislav Lubans of Ogre, Latvia, nieces and nephews in Latvia and Australia, and by his best friend, Harriett Grush of Sandown, NH. He was predeceased by his wife, Irene Lubans in 1995, two brothers, Bronislav Lubans in 1941 and Peter Lubans in 1977 and a sister, Anna Lubans.
Following cremation graveside service will be held in Chapel Hill, NC.