Vita Zemaitis

Vita Zemaitis of Chatham, Illinois died at 12:15 p.m. on Monday, December 14, 2009 at St. John's Hospice. She was born July 12, 1936, in Kaunas, Lithuania, the daughter of Dr. Joseph and Kazimiera Dailide Zubkus. She married Benedict R. Zemaitis in 1956. A son Darius Zemaitis preceded her in death in 1985. Mrs. Zemaitis attended the University of Illinois and De Paul University in Chicago and worked for nearly 20 years as an accountant and bookkeeper. She was a member of the U.S Tennis Association for a number of years and played in local and state tournaments. Vita was also a member of the American-Lithuanian Club of Springfield, serving as their treasurer for several terms and taught the Lithuanian language at Lincoln Land Community College. Vita Zemaitis was a contributor to "Letters to Editor" and through the last twenty years had at least a hundred letters published in the State Journal-Register. She is survived by her husband, Benedict; brother, Sigitas Zubkus and his family in Maryland and Maine; a few cousins in Lithuania; and a few nieces and nephews. Family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, December 18, 2009 at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Funeral Ceremonies will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home with Rev. John Nolan officiating. Burial will follow in Rochester Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Alma's Fund, Lithuanian Orphans' Relief Fund, 2711 W. 71st St., Chicago, IL 60629.