Kristina meant so much to so many people. When word spread of her passing, the love came pouring in from family and friends and the Latvian community. It was her strength, her leadership, her smile, her cooking (especially her Latvian Kļinģers), her award winning flowers, and those bare feet in the kitchen (and in the garden, and driving down the road and at Nometne and pretty much everywhere) that brings a smile to our faces.

To the direct family she was all those things and so much more but most importantly she was our matriarch. She brought us together in holidays, celebrations, joy and sadness. She taught us family is there for each other. Teaching others was her passion and so in her early life, while living in Canada, she pursued her degree and career in education, and while she didn’t renew her teaching certification when coming to the US in 1970, she never stopped teaching us. The lessons span from the perfect Piragi to raising our children and all those things in between. Ultimately though she taught us how to get through this together. Even in death she is leading us and comforting us in our grief with the gift of family. We will continue these traditions, these family gatherings and her legacy will live with us forever.

Šķiramies mēs, ļautiņi,
Gana labi dzīvojuši.
Tu ar Dievu, es ar Dievu,
Mēs ar Dievu labi ļaudis.

Ar Dieviņu sanācām,
Ar Dieviņu šķīrāmies.
Ar Dieviņu lai palika
Šī dziesmotā istabiņa.

Ej, Laimiņa, tu pa priekšu,
Es tavās pēdiņās.
Nelaid mani to celiņu,
Kur aizgāja ļauna diena.

Kristina Liepins (née Gulens) was born in Zasa, Latvia on January 9th 1943.
Kristina died at age 83 on August 10th, 2026 in Flemington, NJ surrounded by her family.

She is survived by her husband Janis Liepins; her children Velta (Brock) Soucie, Sarma (Mark) Clouser, Imants (Marcie) Liepins, and Laila (Scott) Southard; her grandchildren Livija, Aleks, Anna, Matiss, Magnuss, Kalvis, Kristaps, Janis, Ansis, and Imants; her siblings Dr. Voldemars Gulens, Mirdza Radcliffe, Julija Silins, Janis Gulens, and Ausma Davidson.
She was preceded in death by her parents Dr. Mirdza and Dr. Voldemars Gulens as well as her twin sister, Ilze.