Lilja Kruut

Lilja Silvia Kruut, age 91 (almost 92) passed away on June 22 at the Medical Care Facility, almost 3 months after husband Evald passed away. She is survived by her son Thomas, daughter-in-law Lily and grandchildren Andrew, Nathalie (with husband Holden), Carlos and Annalie and one great-grand child, Luke (4 months old) Lilja was the only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Victor and Elfriede Rosaline Riim on August 26, 1931, in Estonia's capital of Tallinn where her father had set up his law practice. After a move at the age of two to a house her father had built for them about 10 miles south of Tallinn in the town of Nõmme, it was here that Lilja enjoyed a very happy childhood within nature's beauty, together with her parents, her two living grandmothers, friends, and family around. She loved listening to the storytelling of paternal grandmother Anna, was eager to learn to play the piano, to draw colorful pictures, and to sing in a church choir. (She was a lifelong fan of the Estonian Song Festival, a periodic event which in the late 1980s gave expression to Estonia's desire for freedom from the Soviet Union.) She had a pet chicken that would wait for her when she went inside the grocery store. She also played piano and waited (sometimes fearfully) for the towns Santa Clause who would knock on doors to see if children could perform some talent. Such was the times of a peaceful growing up. However, Dark clouds of WWII cast their shadows ahead. In June 1940, the Russians invaded Estonia. On August 6, 1940. Moscow declared the hitherto free Estonia to be the 14th republic of the U.S.S. R. Some of her relatives were deported to Siberia. Her maternal grandmother, expelled from her property by the Soviets, was invited to live with them. Under her kind influence Lilja discovered the love of God in Jesus Christ testified to us in the Scriptures of the Bible. Grandma Eva read the Christmas passages from the bible." Then Lilja was asked to accompany them on the piano, and they all sang loudly together "Oh Christmas Tree", "Joy to The World", and "Silent Night". Then came the time for opening the beautifully wrapped and so thoughtfully chosen gifts from under the tree. Afterwards the doorbell rang, and a dear trusted neighbor played Santa Claus undetected (but Lilja was quite frightened at an early age) bringing presents "Robinson Crusoe" and "Little Women" and also got a box of crayons and a large pad of drawing paper from her dad – all these were blessings, as she loved to read and to paint. In summer 1941, she later wrote, "One year of Communist rule had been a nightmare. Big farms lay empty – their occupants deported as kulaks (enemy of the working class) to Siberia and 15000 Estonians were taken in a single night and taken to Siberia in cattle cars. Fifty percent of all professionals and intellectuals were either arrested or deported. Many of Lilja's relatives had vanished overnight, so that her family had lived under constant fear about a knock on the door in the middle of the night." Because of this, at age 13, she fled with mother and her aunt's family to Germany (only women were allowed to flee). Lilja wrote more about these adventures and son Thomas will try to make this known for further reading. Lilja enjoyed reading, art, music, and she wrote a lot of original children's stories and always tried to find a publishing house to make these short stories. She would not give up and she hand typed so many interesting stories and her grandchildren now have these. Perhaps in future we can put these on the worldwide web for a memorial to Lilja. Lilja was a tough woman and endured a lot of hardships during WW II. Both Lilja and her parents, had to escape both the Germans and the Russians and hide in different towns. People like Lilja had suitcases full of precious photographs and documents, but these got lost due to heavy traveling & the weight and had to get rid of a few suitcases along the way. Even now in 2023, people in war torn areas lose everything…. thanks to man's war greed with families forever disrupted. My mother Lilja would say, "Thanks be to God, we made it to America and God protected us along the way!" Therefore, People take note of your good fortune….and thank God for your life…. Evil men still are allowed to live and make war and make foolish destruction, but God is watching this; - You can be sure of that! My mother believes in the words of Christ, "Love your Neighbor as yourself and love God above all" … if only we would all listen to Jesus and his words and knowing that it rains on the just and unjust. Later, there will be a reconning and Wars will cease, but Love will endure forever as the Bible says, "the greatest of these is Love"! In her younger days, she joined the church choir and was a big fan of the Estonian Music festival. She Lived in New York city, and later moved to Midland Michigan and later to Mt. Pleasant. She participated in Woman's city club and enjoyed cooking and taking care of her only son, Thomas. Lilja has always been interested in science, reading Asimov and Arthur C Clark books. In New York, she was an accomplished Textile artist and later she made her own paintings and glass and acrylic artistic items. At midlife, she suffered a lot of joint and other pains, but always was strong and kept cheerful through her ordeal of back pains and fibromyalgia. Lilja would tell all of us now to "Trust God and look to Jesus Christ for salvation" and to know that JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED BY GOD. He will judge the evil men who start wars and murder Families and destroy hopes with dreams. Now, rest in peace, Lilja, and jump for joy to know that your name is written in the Lambs book of life, (Rev. 21:27) to all who believe and trust in Gods Christ. To sign the online guest book or leave a condolence for the family please visit www.CharlesRLux.com.