Rita A. Vileišytė Bagdonas, 105, of Heritage Village, Southbury, CT died peacefully Sunday, August 17, 2025, at the Lutheran Home of Southbury.

Rita was born March 3, 1920, in Vilnius, Lithuania to Jonas Vileišis and Ona Kazakauskaitė Vileišienė. Jonas Vileišis was the author and signer of the 1918 Lithuanian Declaration of Independence, first Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States and Mayor of Kaunas, Lithuania from 1921-1931. Rita was proud of her Lithuanian legacy.

Rita grew up on her beloved family estate, Girstaitiškis, attended Aušros girls' school in Kaunas, and graduated from the University of Vilnius with a law degree in 1944. She fled Lithuania during WWII on July 31, 1944, and immigrated to the United States in 1951. She was proud to be an American and of the life she created in the United States. After retiring as a librarian at Yale University, Rita lived in Woodbury, Cape Cod, and Florida, before returning to Southbury to be closer to family. She enjoyed life at Heritage Village especially meeting with her German Conversational Club and maintaining her gardens until 102 years old.

Rita loved to listen to opera and classical music, taking daily walks, gardening, cooking with homegrown vegetables, baking cakes for all occasions, celebrating traditional Lithuanian holidays, and travel, especially to Lithuania to visit her relatives and the places of her youth. She wanted to honor her parents and remember her wonderful childhood by writing a book in 2008. She was Waterbury's Lithuanian Mayor of the Day in 2014. In 2018, she was honored by the President of Lithuania at a gathering of the families of the signers of the Lithuanian Declaration of Independence commemorating the 100-year anniversary.

Rita celebrated her 100th birthday in Vilnius. Being a last first-hand witness to history, she was consulted on many articles, books, and work of researchers of Lithuanian history. It was very important to her to share this with her family and others.

Rita was the widow of Jurgis Bagdonas, who died in 1992, and they will be buried together. Left to mourn Rita are her daughter, Silvia Marunas and her husband, Joseph, her stepson, Algis Bagdonas, her daughter-in-law, Jurate Vaitkus Lenktaitis; her grandchildren, Laura (Paul), Lina, Todd (Paula), Aynslee (Dylan); her great-grandchildren Anthony, Nicholas, Michael, Julia and Lucy. She also leaves her nieces Dr. Birute Vileisis, Danga Vileisis, and Grazina Anstett; and nephews Peter Vileisis, Gediminas Tursa and John Vileisis, and many other relatives in the United States, Lithuania, and Australia.

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her son Andrew Lenktaitis, her grandson Christian, her four siblings and two nieces and two nephews.

The family would like to thank the Lutheran Home for the care they provided Rita this past year.

Calling hours will be held Thursday, August 21, 2025, from 10am until services begin at 12pm held at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home located 235 Main St. N. Southbury, CT. Burial will follow services at Calvary Cemetery in Waterbury, CT. To leave an online condolence please visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.