Edmunds Rekevics, 91, passed away Sunday June 6, 2010 in his home on Big Lake. Ed was born March 30, 1919 in Charkow, Russia, and grew up in Latvia. Ed and Valentina, his wife of 66 years, fled their homeland during the 2nd World War. After being separated by the chaos of the war, they both spent time in Displaced Persons Camps, but were reunited and came to America in 1949. They lived the first 10 years in Montana and then settled in Kent, WA and then retired in Mt. Vernon. Ed was a remarkable man with an adventurous spirit and many talents. As a boy in Latvia, he worked at his father's barbershop, where he later met and fell in love with Val. He also loved to sail, and built his first boat at 16. In the war camps, Ed formed a band and entertained fellow prisoners with his accordion, violin, and jokes. He loved to entertain, and was charming people until the very last days of his incredible life. Ed was a self taught architect and builder. He designed and built dozens of homes, usually doing all the work by himself. Over the years, Ed and Val were also very active in the Seattle and Tacoma Latvian community, participating in various events and singing in the choir. Ed loved his family and friends and was preceded in death by his wife, Valentina, and his oldest son, Girts Rekevics. Ed was a loving father and survived by: daughter-in-law Judy Rekevics, John (Cherie) Rekevics, David (Sheryl) Rekevics, and Renate (Bob) Johnson, Margie Tyndall, and Ingrid (Dave) Headland. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Stacy (Tom) Doyle, Michael Rekevics, Jessica, Christine, and Steven Tyndall, Susan (Steve) Muir, Christopher and Brian Headland, Brianna, Kendra, and Danelle Rekevics, and 4 great-grandchildren: Shaina, Drew, and Courtney Doyle, and Andrew Muir. Services will be held Saturday, June 26th, at 1:00PM at Big Lake Community Church of the Nazarene, 23684 DaLacy Lane, Mount Vernon, WA 98274.