Aldona M. DRUKTEINIS

DRUKTEINIS, Aldona M. (Gudaityte) 90, of South Pasadena, FL died peacefully on Thursday, May 2, 2013, in St. Petersburg after a sudden illness. She was born on Aug. 10, 1922, in Klaipeda, Lithuania; the daughter of Mykolas Gudaitis, a prominent newspaper editor, and Maria Gudaitis who lived under the loving care of Aldona all of her life. Aldona was predeceased by her younger brother, Algirdas who was her only sibling. Aldona's early schooling was in Klaipeda and then Kaunas, Lithuania where she finished Ausra High School. She went on to study dentistry in Kaunas but completed those studies at Erlangen University in Germany, where she and other family members fled during WWII. Years later, after coming to the United States, she earned a bachelors degree and teaching certificate from the University of Dayton, and taught German and Russian language studies at Centerville High School. Aldona was married 53 years to Dr. Edmund Drukteinis, who predeceased her in 1997. Dr. Edmund practiced internal and family medicine in Dayton Ohio for 35 years. They were communicants at Holy Cross Lithuanian-American Catholic Church. Aldona and her husband moved to Palm Harbor, FL after their retirement, and spent their last years in South Pasadena, FL. Aldona was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother; who was active in her Lithuanian community, religious, and an avid reader of literature. Family members who will miss her include a son, Edmund Drukteinis and his wife Olga, and their extended family; a son, Dr. Albert Drukteinis and his wife Jura; grandchildren, Drs. Dainius and Jennifer Drukteinis, and Drs. Saulius and Lesbia Drukteinis; and great-grandchildren Lily, Daniela, Gavin, Annika, and Mila. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Aldona's family from 10-11:30 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013 in the Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam, CT, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 12 pm in St. Mary Church of the Visitation in Putnam, CT. Burial will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Putnam, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations suggested to Immaculate Conception Convent, 600 Liberty Hwy., Putnam, CT 06260. Memorial guestbook visit www.GilmanAndValade.com.