George Petkaitis, 92, of West Hartford, entered eternal rest on Sunday, March 4th, 2018, surrounded by his family. Born in Lithuania in 1926, he was one of eight siblings born to the late Jurgis and Ursula (Klimas) Petkaitis. As a teen during WW2, Lithuania was forcibly occupied by both Soviet communist and Nazi forces. George and some family members escaped several times from forced labor details and attempts at forced conscription by both tyrannical regimes. He ultimately made his way to American lines in Austria. After the war, in Austria, he lived in a displaced persons camp, worked as choir director in the camp, as church organist for the U.S. forces at a nearby U.S. Army post, and studied music at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. From Austria, in 1948, he emigrated to the United States aboard the USS General Omar Bundy. He settled in Connecticut, and became a pillar in the Lithuanian-American community, where he was known by his Lithuanian first name of Jurgis. For about 70 years, he served as the musical director for the community, as well as for the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Hartford, until retiring due to declining health, shortly before his passing. In 1954, George married his lifetime love Irene (Yankauskas), and they raised three children together. He earned a Bachelor of Music with a major in organ, and a Bachelor in Music Education from the Hartt School of Music, before working as a music teacher for Colchester public schools for over 30 years, eventually becoming the head of the music department. For many years starting in 1958, George directed and hosted the Lithuanian Radio Hour Tevynes Garsai, airing in Connecticut. He was a member of the Knights of Lithuania. George was a friend to all who knew him and always had a kind smile and a joke to tell. Among his many accomplishments, George was bestowed with the Connecticut 20th Century Pilgrim award in 1976 by Governor Ella Grasso; He was named the 1986 Teacher of the Year for Colchester public schools and was runner up for Connecticut State Teacher of the Year in 1987; He was presented with the Saint Joseph Medal for a lifetime of service to the diocese and Holy Trinity, by Hartford Archbishop Henry J. Mansell in 2009; and was honored numerous times for his tireless service to the Lithuanian-American community. George was predeceased by his parents and all of his siblings, including his younger sister Liberata, who died in Lithuania just hours before George's passing, on the Feast of Saint Casimir, Lithuania's patron saint. George was an amazingly kind and talented man, incredibly generous with his time, and worked tirelessly to contribute to the Catholic Church and the Lithuanian-American community. He was highly cherished, deeply loved, and will be missed by all who knew him. George leaves behind his loving, devoted wife Irene, and their three children Peter, Tomas, and Dana Petkaitis, daughters-in-law Ruth and Brenda Petkaitis, grandsons Tomas, Miles, Gabriel and Benjamin Petkaitis, and cousins Rita, Irene and Tony Petkaitis.

The funeral service will begin 8:45 a.m. on Friday, March 9, at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 53 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. Burial will follow in Mt. St .Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Calling hours will be tomorrow, March 8, from 4-7 p.m. at the Dillon-Baxter Funeral Home, 1276 Berlin Turnpike, Wethersfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Please visit www.dillonbaxter.com to share a memory with the family.