Vytautas Jonaitis

There is so much to say about Vytautas,.....and yet I struggle for the words. He was a light, with a twinkle in his eye and a ready laugh and a heart as big as you can imagine,,,and then some. He was my teacher at Daniva for 3 years....and became a friend beyond that. A fine, fine man who left a legacy of joy...

I met your Father at Dainava camp numerous years. He was a happy man. He shared his Lithuanian knowledge with numerous generations of Lithuanians- young and old. He always had a smile.
One year, I noticed his ankles and his shortness of breath. I asked him if he had seen a physician. He told me in the service. He was having a heart attack later that week. I made sure he was going to get the best of care and had him sent to Ann Arbor. I knew there was a clinic in Grand Rapids...

Meeting Vytautas was a great pleasure for me at the Lithuanian language classes. I went there to learn better Lithuanian, but instead Vytautas replied to me and said, you should be teaching the class.. I only had the pleasure to talk to him at two different years at Camp Dainava.


My deepest condolences to his entire family. I will surely miss him and the many talks we had. He sure could make people laugh! Iki..

Thank you Robertas for informing us. So sorry to hear that our esteemed teacher passed away. He wrote a credible beginning Lithuanian text that I still use. In addition, he had a sense of humor that made him as good as any stand up comic. Vytautas will be in Camp Dainava's hall of fame and in my memory as my first Lithuanian teacher.

I am lucky to have met him. He left a lasting impression. He was a funny, kind and generous man. We will all miss him. RIP

Dearest Simone, Monique, and Romaine - My deepest condolences. He was certainly one of a kind and I will always remember him fondly. My heart and prayer go out to you ladies. His spirit and spunk lives on in you all. Much love, Tina Twardowksi

Sending my sympathy to the family on Mr. Jonaitis' death. I had taken Lithuanian at Saturday school at Sts. Peter and Paul from him for a time as a kid, and then Spanish at Creston, neither of which stuck with me at the time. My mom and dad, Alice and Joe Totoraitis, stayed involved with the Lithuanian-American community in Grand Rapids, and knew the Jonaitis family.

Fast forward, I moved to Washington and became involved with the Lithuanian-American community in Seattle, as well as...