Romualdas Povilaitis D.D.S.

Romualdas R. Povilaitis, D.D.S.
Romualdas Ramutis ("Romas" or "Ray") Povilaitis, age 91, passed away peacefully on Thursday December 14, 2023, in the care of his loving children and hospice in Lisle, Illinois.
Born January 1, 1932, in Kaunas, Lithuania, he was the only son of parents Augustinas and Katarina Povilaitis. His father was the Director of the State Security Department of Lithuania, his family witnessing his capture on June 15, 1940, by the advancing Russian Army during WWII, never to be seen again. This led to his family fleeing Lithuania to Germany the next day, returning to Lithuania soon thereafter. The family fled again in 1941, eventually spending nine years as refugees in various cities in Germany. Seeking food and shelter, they were taken in by various families, traveling long distances by horse and buggy, living on farms and refugee camps. Romas and his family had to improvise and make do with very little, living the impact of war as "displaced people" or dp's. Romas became fluent in German during his time in Germany.
They eventually secured sponsors in the US and arrived through New York in February 1949, settling in Chicago, which grew to be a sizable Lithuanian community. Romas was 17 years old, with no formal education past 3rd grade and enrolled in grade school upon his arrival, then adult high school at night, earning his GED while working as an apprentice carpenter full-time. In 1953 he was drafted by the US Army for the Korean War and was sent back to Germany, serving almost two years there. Upon returning to Chicago, he enrolled in Crane Junior College for evening classes while resuming work as a carpenter, eventually deciding to pursue dentistry. He enrolled in Loyola School of Dentistry full-time, while continuing working as a carpenter part-time.
In June 1958 he married Milda Masiotas and graduated from Loyola dental school in 1962, starting his 32-year profession as a dentist.
Romas and Milda raised four children with a full and active life. Milda passed too early in 1996 at age 60. He married Dalia Dundzila in 1999 who was his partner for 23 years until her death in 2022.
Romas' activities and interests varied widely. Upon the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 he made several personal mission trips to Lithuania to bring modern dental equipment and teach local dentists modern dental practices and made many lifelong friends in the process. Family vacations were always active, typically skiing, camping and fishing destinations to the upper Midwest that progressed to beaches in Florida, Mexico and other places. He enjoyed experiencing life through road trips and travel. Romas was actively involved in Lithuanian Scouting, tennis, alpine skiing, motorcycling, and more, but was always grounded in the beauty of nature and his creative artistry. He grew orchids, loved gardening, mushrooming, fishing, any activity involving the outdoors. Romas loved his summer home in Lodi WI, with the many fond family memories created there over the years. And he especially loved working with his hands, from his start as a carpenter, through his years as a dentist, making gold jewelry, copper artwork with amber, painting, building crosses, wood carving and more, up until his very last days. Romas was a productive daydreamer who had many creative thoughts that gave him passionate energy to do the things he liked. He was bored without a project or task or engagement of some sort and always had to be occupied.
Romas had a wonderful sense of humor, loved jokes and loved being silly. He had a very personable approach to everyone he encountered and a nonconventional way to many in projects he engaged in life. People who knew him could immediately tell if something was his work, whatever that work may have been. Perhaps his early life experiences shaped his thinking to everything he did in life to the very end.
He loved his native country and was forever grateful for the opportunities America provided. Romas touched many lives, was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.
He is survived by his sister Beatrice Povilaitis of Mokena, IL, his four children Arvid (Mary) of Edina, MN, Audrey Schoen (Ray) of Amelia Island FL, Darius (Susan) of Oak Park, IL and Ramona Vaikutis (John) of St Joseph, MI along with nine grandchildren Austin and Julia Povilaitis, Sabrina, Roman, Simona and Lucas Povilaitis and Paul, Peter and Gail Vaikutis.
Friends and relatives are invited to visit with family from 9:00 am – 11:00 am on Friday January 5th, 2024, at the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis Mission 14911 E 127th Street Lemont, IL concluding with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Immediately following the church service, a reception will be held at the Galeria Siela (Lithuanian Museum of Art) at the Lithuanian World Center, adjacent to the Mission.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name to the Lithuanian World Center (www.Lcenter.org/donate). All donations to LWC in memory of R. Povilaitis will be designated for supporting the Hill of Crosses restoration project.