Jans Brazelis, 103, of Salem, NH passed away on Monday night, March 3rd, 2025, at his home.  Jans, who became a US citizen, was born in Asare Latvia on February 21, 1922, to Ignats and Pauline (Alecna) Brazelis.

Jans grew up in Bene Latvia and was drafted into the armed services and served in the Latvian Legion Army during WWII. He was injured in battle and was sent via ship to Belgium and then hospitalized in Germany.  He met his future wife, Skaidrite, in a displaced persons camp while in Germany. In the nine years that he spent in Germany, he was part of the allied military services as MP and later working in the motor pool.  He sang Tenor in the Army choir and was able to travel around Germany performing.

Jans immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island in 1958. It was through the kindness of strangers that Jans was able to make his way from Ellis Island to Scarborough, ME to reunite with his future wife and her family.

The couple made their way to Boston where Jans married Skaidrite (Vilbrants) on October 17, 1959. They began their family in East Weymouth, Mass and eventually moved to Salem NH in 1977. They were married for 56 years.

He started his career working in photo development. Wanting to succeed he enrolled in trade school and earned his degree. He started his new career in circuit board technology and later developed skills as a fiberoptic technician for Optical Microsystem and worked there until he retired.

Jans is survived by his daughters, Inta Brazelis-Simeone and her husband David of Lynnfield, MA, and Gita Brazelis of Salem, NH; grandchildren, Jason and Aiden Simeone; his sister-in-law Gunta Hastings; his nephew Ian Hastinga and his wife Cyndi Grover Hastings, and their daughter Alia Hastings; his niece Tala Kuretsky and her husband Mitchell Kuretsky, and their two sons Samuel Kuretsky and Harrison Kuretsky; as well as several nieces and nephews in Latvia, Australia, and Lithuania.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his beloved wife Skaidrite in March of 2016; his brothers, Victors and Oswalds of Latvia, Peters of Russia; his sister, Valia of Latvia.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday March 13th, from 4 to 7pm, at the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday morning, at 10am at the funeral home. Interment will follow at The Gardens Cemetery Gethsemane in West Roxbury, MA.

For directions or to leave a message of condolence, please visit www.carrierfuneralhome.com.