Ariadne ("Rida") Dzintars passed away on January 16, 2016 at West Hills Village in Rapid City. Rida Dagmar Orleans was born in Tjumen, Siberia on December 2, 1920 to Janis and Zoja Orleans. Her father was working on the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad at the time. She returned with her parents to Riga, Latvia the following year and grew up there. She graduated from high school in Riga on June 17, 1940, the same day Russian troops occupied Latvia. Thrown into the tumult of World War II, she moved from place to place working in a variety of clerical jobs. She eventually met her future husband, Paul Dzintars, in 1943. With the war still raging they were married in the middle of winter on Christmas Eve 1944, in Sophienwalde, West Prussia, what is now Poland.

After the war they were unable to return to their homeland in Latvia because of the Russian occupation, so they lived in Germany as refugees, euphemistically called "Displaced Persons". Paul was able to finish his medical education during this time.

After a few years the United States was accepting WWII refugees, so Paul and Rida emigrated to Eastport Maine in 1951 when the First Baptist Church in Eastport sponsored their voyage across the Atlantic. They enjoyed living in Maine, as it reminded them of their homeland, but Paul was unable to get a medical license. The shortage of physicians in South Dakota prompted them to move in 1954, living in Sioux Falls, Philip, and Faith before finally settling down in Rapid City in 1961.

Rida had varied skills and interests. She did carpentry, liked to garden, was an expert weaver, seamstress and quilt-maker in addition to raising four sons. She was known for having beautiful floral gardens. She and Paul loved having company and entertaining, and they had a reputation for serving homemade wine at their "flower parties".

She was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church, PEO, Ninth District Medical Auxiliary, Black Hills Enological Society and The Cosmopals.

Rida is survived by her sons; Valdis (Linda), Gunar (Susan), Egon (Rita) and Viktor (Lesley); eleven grandchildren; six great- grandchildren; her sister Irene Ligurs and brother Olgert Orleans. She was preceded in death by her husband Paul, parents and brother Juris.

The family will hold a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life at Calvary Lutheran Church, Saturday February 20 at 1:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Rapid City Noon Cosmopolitan Club, Benefiting Diabetes Research and numerous youth organizations in the area.