Mary Vaitkus

Mary Vaitkus, age 102, of Belleville, IL, born on May 10, 1921, in Aukstadvaris, Lithuania, died on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Belleville, IL.

Mary and her husband Andrew came to the United States from Lithuania in 1949 with their 2 young daughters and settled in the Metro-East. Mary was a former restaurant manager for Famous-Barr  in St. Louis, MO and Fairview Heights, IL.  Mary and Andrew also operated the European Inn Restaurant in Fairview Heights, IL.  She was a excellent cook with her own old world recipes and she loved cooking for family and friends.  Mary will be sadly missed by her loving family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew Vaitkus; her son-in-law, David Smith; her parents, Joseph and Josephine Grigarowicz; and a brother and sister.

Mary is survived by her daughters, Grazina Smith of Chicago, IL, and Zivile (Dan) Fischer of St. Louis, MO; her grandchildren, Andrea Fischer, Stephanie (Mark) Attwood, Josephine (William) Stieglitz, David A. Smith, Michael Smith, Stephen (Erica) Smith, Jennifer Smith, Margaret (Nabil) Isa, and Elizabeth Smith (Michael Winstead); and 11 great-grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Immaculate Conception Chapel, 1509 Baugh Ave., East St. Louis, IL.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 29, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, IL.

Funeral Service will be held on Monday, April 29, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, IL., with Rev. Kenneth York officiating.  Burial of cremated remains will be at a later date in St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery, Chicago, IL.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Vaitkus, please visit our floral store.