NAPLES, FLORIDA — Vizma Aprans Wren, 77, passed away suddenly in her home on Wednesday June 7, 2017. Vizma was blessed with a vibrant, out-going personality that hastened familiarity with everyone she met. Vizma leaves behind a legacy of persistence and love, unique beyond measure, that bolstered her self-confidence and sense of optimism. Having overcome obstacle after obstacle in life, no one or thing could or would alter her life’s path.

Vizma was born in Riga, Latvia on February 22, 1940 to Karlis and Vilma Irmgarde (Maure) Aprans. At the age of 4 she and her family fled their homestead in Inkeni, Serenas, Latvia to Germany due to invading Soviet troops. Vizma went to grade school in Germany during the war while her mother worked as a nurse and her father, a civil engineer, worked as an ambulance driver. The family, including sister, Balva and newborn, Karl emigrated to Boston in July of 1949. The family eventually resided and managed a farm in Wenham, MA where they learned English and Vizma went to school. Her second brother, Richard, was born there in 1950. Vizma married Theodore E. Johnson, Jr. of Hamilton, MA in 1958 and lived in Hamilton raising four children. Vizma and Ted were divorced in 1967.

Vizma remarried to Paul (Graham) I. Wren in 1982 in Georgetown, ME and lived in Littleton, MA. Graham worked in finance at Norton Co. and Vizma worked as a Logistics Manager for Fishery Products in Danvers, MA. The couple retired to Naples, FL and Georgetown, ME where Graham’s family has a long history. In Naples Vizma was a member of the Women’s Cultural Alliance of Naples and loved playing tennis, Canasta and Mahjongg with her good friends in the neighborhood. One of her favorite pastimes was to use her family’s online posted pictures to make into puzzles and being a technology buff, explore all the options Alexa, her new web access device had to offer.

Vizma leaves behind her loving husband Paul Ingraham Wren of Georgetown, ME along with his children Kathryn Trumbull Wren of Lee, New Hampshire and her children Ame Wren of Boston, Katie Bunten-Wren of Nairobi, Kenya and Christopher Charles Wren of Lee, New Hampshire; Susan Westly Wren and Theo Holtwijk of Georgetown, ME; Paul I. Wren III, his wife Mary Lee Wren and their two boys Graham Wren and Gordon Wren, of Santa Barbara, CA

Vizma also leaves behind her sister Balva Aprans Hartley of Naples, FL and her brothers Karlis Aprans of Osprey, FL and Richard Aprans of Rockport, MA

Vizma leaves four children and nine grandchildren from her first marriage; Scott Johnson of South Hamilton, MA and his wife Jane(Thompson) and their children Adam and Hannah; Kimberly McCormack of Williamsburg, VA with her husband Kevin and children Kelly and Kairos; Eric Johnson of Saint John, FL and his wife Janet (McCue) and their two children Sydney and Nicholas; and Kristen Wyco of Gloucester, VA and her husband Rob and their three children Gretchen Riley and husband Wesley, Dylan and Ben. Vizma is predeceased by her two grandchildren, Scott John Moreau, Jr. and Robert Paul McCormack.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the Paul I. and Alice Wren Memorial Scholarship Fund, Packard Hall, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155 or through www.tufts.edu/givenow and selecting “Other” in the school choice.

Online condolences may be offered at fullernaples.com.


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