Stase Kazlauskas' Obituary
In Loving Memory of Stase Kazlauskas
Stase Kazlauskas was born on May 27, 1929, in Saukliu village, Mosedziu region,
Lithuania. She was the last of 10 children of Juozas Rumbutis and Ona Norvilaite, who
married when Juozas was 25 years old and Ona was 17.
Stase was the dear mother of Romas (Aleli), Andrius (Lione), and Rita Kazlauskas (Tom Campbell); loving grandmother of Aista, Dainius, Emily, Monica, Matthew, Charlotte, Anna, Jonas
In October 1944, Stase, along with her brother Juozas and three sisters Ona, Jadze, and Milute, as well as their mother Ona, fled Lithuania. They lived in Displaced Persons camps in Germany from 1944 to 1949. At the age of 21, Stase arrived in America on June 10, 1949. She lived in Exeter, PA for three months before relocating to Scranton, PA, where she had enrolled in Marywood College. After earning her AB in Science, she moved to New Britain, CT in order to complete a one-year Medical Technologist program at New Britain Hospital.
In 1954, Stase relocated to Cleveland, OH, where her mother and sister Ona, who was
married to Paulius, lived. There she worked as a medical technologist and joined a
variety of community activities involving Lithuanian immigrants, such as scouts and
ateitininkai. It was within this context that she met Jonas Kazlauskas, whom she married
on September 10, 1955.
Stase continued to work after the birth of their first child, Romas, in September 1956, until the birth of their second child, Andrius, in October 1959. Their third child, Rita, was born in 1962.
In 1974, Stase returned to the workforce after completing her teacher's certificate. She taught biology at Erieview Catholic High School until 1985, when she paused her
teaching career to care for her bedridden mother, who passed away at the age of 97 in
1986. After completing her Master's in Education, Stase resumed teaching science, first at Lake Catholic and then Erieview High School, and also at Cuyahoga Community College until her retirement.
Stase was a devout Catholic and an active member of her parish community. Her faith
was a great consolation throughout her life. She was a happy and optimistic woman,
who had a positive influence on her family, students, friends, and all who had the
privilege of knowing her. She will be dearly missed but forever remembered with love
and gratitude.
Expressions of condolences can be made at Vodrazka Funeral Home 6505 Brecksville Rd., Independence (1/2 mile south of Rockside Rd.) on Wednesday, October 16, from 4-6:30 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will take place St. Basil the Great Catholic Church, 8700 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville on Thursday, October 17, at 10 AM. Stase will be laid to rest at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon, OH.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to her favorite Lithuanian charity, Child' Gate to Learning at www.childgate.org
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