Obituary for Maria Orentas
Maria (Višniauskas) Orentas, 89, of West Hartford, CT died on Friday, November 5, 2021 at home. She now joins her husband, Eugenijus, who predeceased her 34 years ago. Maria was born on December 21, 1931 in São Paulo, Brazil to her parents Petras and Kunigunda (Valatka) Višniauskas. Her mother and close friends would call her “Mariuka”. Maria grew up in “Vila Zelina” a neighborhood located in São Paulo, Brazil, best known for the great number of Eastern European immigrants. Maria attended St. Joseph's Lithuanian RC Church and was taught by the Sisters of Saint Francis of the Providence of God from Pittsburgh, PA which were invited by Fr. Pius Ragažinskas to start a school there in 1937. The Sisters were her teachers and marvelous in preparing her for life’s journeys. Maria was fluent in three languages and was always interested in comparing words and phrases among languages and finding the meaning of new words.
Maria in her youth was an active member of the church choir, Catholic Women's League (a.k.a Filhas de Maria), dancing and actively participated in youth group trips to the Paiol Grande Foundation's retreat center known as “Paiol Grande Camp”. Maria was the oldest of four siblings and was predeceased by Onutė, Petras and Juozas (in childhood) and later in adulthood by her youngest sister Ienie Branconoro and her husband Roberto who had three sons. Maria was an accomplished seamstress and began sewing full-time at the age of 14 for her family’s tailor shop and later worked for a French-owned water filtration company. In 1963, soon after finishing her studies of the English language at “CulturaInglesa” immigrated to New York City and eventually settled in West Hartford, CT where she worked for the Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance and Travelers Insurance companies. Maria later retired from the Commission on Hospitals and Health Care for the State of Connecticut in 2000. She was a member of the Lithuanian-American Holy Trinity RC Church in Hartford, CT.
She leaves her sons, Leonard and wife Nerija; Paul and former wife Laura; grandchildren, Joana and husband Andrew, Alina, Cameron, Marius, Aistė, Ethan and 2 great-grandchildren; Sofija, Emilio, and nephews Eduardo and great-nieces Mirna and Milena, Robertino and Sergio and his wife Dulcineia and great-niece Isabella; and her dear Lithuanian-Brazilian friends, all who will miss her dearly. Maria’s funeral mass will be set at a later date. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com
Maria in her youth was an active member of the church choir, Catholic Women's League (a.k.a Filhas de Maria), dancing and actively participated in youth group trips to the Paiol Grande Foundation's retreat center known as “Paiol Grande Camp”. Maria was the oldest of four siblings and was predeceased by Onutė, Petras and Juozas (in childhood) and later in adulthood by her youngest sister Ienie Branconoro and her husband Roberto who had three sons. Maria was an accomplished seamstress and began sewing full-time at the age of 14 for her family’s tailor shop and later worked for a French-owned water filtration company. In 1963, soon after finishing her studies of the English language at “CulturaInglesa” immigrated to New York City and eventually settled in West Hartford, CT where she worked for the Phoenix Mutual Life Insurance and Travelers Insurance companies. Maria later retired from the Commission on Hospitals and Health Care for the State of Connecticut in 2000. She was a member of the Lithuanian-American Holy Trinity RC Church in Hartford, CT.
She leaves her sons, Leonard and wife Nerija; Paul and former wife Laura; grandchildren, Joana and husband Andrew, Alina, Cameron, Marius, Aistė, Ethan and 2 great-grandchildren; Sofija, Emilio, and nephews Eduardo and great-nieces Mirna and Milena, Robertino and Sergio and his wife Dulcineia and great-niece Isabella; and her dear Lithuanian-Brazilian friends, all who will miss her dearly. Maria’s funeral mass will be set at a later date. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com