Aldona Kavaliunas passed away peacefully with family by her side at the age of 95 on January
18, 2026. Aldona was born on December 24, 1930, in Kaunas, Lithuania, to Vladas and Paulina
Burneikis. She immigrated to the United States, arriving in New York Harbor with her family, on
December 22, 1949. She quickly embraced her new home and graduated from Easton High
School in Pennsylvania the following spring.
She married Jeronimas "Jaras" Kavaliunas on December 26, 1953, at St. Michael's Lithuanian
Church in Easton, Pennsylvania. Jaras and Aldona made a home in Waukegan, Illinois, where
they enjoyed many happy years of marriage. In her professional career, Aldona was a trusted
and successful employee and colleague at Abbott Laboratories. In her spare time, she was a
foundational member of the St. Bartholomew Senior Club and heavily engaged in the local
Lithuanian community.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, several brothers- and sisters-in-law,
nephews Edward Kavaliunas and Richard Kruzikas, niece Virginia Hill, and countless friends
she made and kept in touch with throughout her life.
Left to cherish her memory are nephew Ray (Kathy) Kavaliunas; great-nephews and great-
nieces Richard (Kristin) Kruzikas, Denise (Corey) Kruzikas-Wilt, Patrick (Megan) Hill, and Daniel
(Cassandra) Hill; as well as great-great nieces Courtney and Lauren Kruzikas. She was "Teta"
(Lithuanian for "aunt") not just to these adoring nieces and nephews, but also to most people
she knew. On a family trip to Lithuania in 2019, almost everyone asked about "Teta" – whether
or not they were actually related to her. In addition to her loving family, she is survived by many
cousins and friends in the United States and Lithuania.
Aldona was a gifted storyteller. She captivated rooms with memories of her childhood in
Lithuania and a refugee camp in Germany, her road tripping adventures across the United
States and Canada (a few times even as far as Alaska), and the everyday joys she encountered
in her life. She was relentlessly optimistic and saw the best in every person she met. She was
generous to her family, church, community, and friends. Many will feel her absence, but will be
comforted by knowing they had the good fortune of having such a wonderful person in their
lives.
Mass of Christian Burial will be on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at 11:00 am at Most Blessed
Trinity Parish, Holy Family Church, 450 Keller Ave, Waukegan. Following Mass, she will be laid
to rest at Ascension Cemetery in Libertyville. The family will receive visitors from 10:00 am until
the mass at the Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider supporting
Mercy Home for Boys and Girls in Chicago.