R.I.P Vytautas P. Norkus EuroBasket 1939 champion

old-hoopWATERBURY (Connecticut) — Vytautas P. Norkus, husband of Elena (Norkeliunas) Norkus, passed away peacefully Wednesday evening, Jan. 29, 2014, at Saint Mary’s Hospital. He was 93 years old.

Mr. Norkus was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, on Jan. 28, 1921, son of the late Juozas and Joana (Stanaitis) Norkus. Playing basketball from the age of 15, he was invited to join the Lithuania National Basketball Team and participate in EuroBasket 1939, when he became EuroBasket champion.

At the end of World War II, he moved to Germany, where he played for Kempton Šarunas Lithuanian Emigrants basketball team. He moved to Waterbury in 1949, retiring from Uniroyal. He was a longtime communicant of St. Joseph Church. He was a proud and passionate athlete well into his 70s and was also a dedicated supporter of UConn Women’s basketball.

In addition to his loving wife of 51 years, Vytautas is survived by his daughter, Ruta Norkus and her husband, Dr. John Nafziger, of Wittman, Md. He was predeceased by his twin brother, Algirdas Norkus.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at St. Joseph Church. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Friends may call at the Snyder Funeral Home, 114 Willow St., Waterbury, on Saturday morning from 8:15 to 9:15.

In lieu of flowers, the family is kindly requesting donations be made to the Lithuanian Sports Club of Connecticut, 41 Arlington St., New Britain 06053.

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