Salme Susanna Ilves

Salme Susanna Ilves passed away on April 7 at the age of 98 at Ferncliff Nursing Home, Rhinebeck, New York. She was born September 29, 1916 in Tallinn, Estonia to the late Jaan and Emma Grindul. Salme attended Tartu University in Tartu, Estonia, where she studied philosophy and languages, including English. She was married to Juhan Ilves, the assistant mayor of the city of Valga. In late 1944, as World War II raged, the family was forced to flee Estonia. Following a period of terrible uncertainty, they were resettled in a displaced persons camp in Augsburg, Germany in the American sector. In August of 1949, under the auspices of the Trinity Evangelical Church in Kingston, Salme her husband and daughter emigrated to America. Salme worked at the Kingston Knitting Mills on TenBroeck Avenue until her retirement. She and her husband were active in the Estonian community and were among the founding members of the mid-Hudson Estonian association. Her husband passed away on September 30, 1999. She is survived by her daughter, Kaari Ward of New York City and her granddaughter Johanna Ward, who is residing in London, England.


Entrusted to the care of Luke Keyser of Keyser Funeral & Cremation Service, 326 Albany Ave., Kingston, where friends and family may visit on Friday April 10th from 10am to 12pm with the funeral service starting at 12pm. Burial will follow in Wiltwyck Cemetery, Kingston.