Tribute to Birute Simona

TRIBUTE TO BIRUTE SMETONA

Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Birute Smetona—an exceptional woman and an exceptional Ohioan who passed away recently at the age of 91. Birute was a gifted musician, who lived a life of great courage and perseverance. She was a beloved figure and an inspiration to all who knew her in her Cleveland-area community.

Birute, born in Subacius, Lithuania, began her distinguished career as a concert pianist by soloing with the symphony orchestra in Kaunas—then the capital of Lithuania. She went on to graduate from the Lithuanian National Conservatory in 1935, where she met her future husband Julius, an athlete and an assistant law professor who was also the son of Lithuania's President Antanas Smetona. After the start of World War II, she had to leave a respected music conservatory in Paris to return to Lithuania with her husband and infant son, Anthony. During the trip, they sometimes had to get off their train and walk alongside because sections of track had been destroyed as a result of the War.

When they arrived in Lithuania, the Smetona family found their native land changed. Birute's life, which up until that point may have seemed like a modern-day fairy tale to some, was about to be thrown into a state of upheaval. Amidst the ever-present dangers of a war creeping closer and closer to home, Birute and her family made the difficult decision to leave Lithuania—the home they loved so dearly—in search of a better life.

Birute and her family left Lithuania in June 1940, just as the Soviet army was entering the country. While Russian troops initially stopped them at the border, they ultimately allowed them to pass into Germany. From there, the family was constantly on the move, living in Switzerland, France, Spain, and Brazil all in the space of a little over a year.

Eventually, Birute and her family arrived in Chicago in 1941, before finally settling in Cleveland, where Birute's husband found work as a factory laborer for just 65 cents an hour. The Smetona family was living on the second floor of a house on Ablewhite Avenue when a sudden fire consumed it. Tragically, Birute's father-in-law, the former President Smetona, lost his life in the blaze, unable to escape from where he lived in a converted attic on the floor above them.

These were difficult times for Birute and her family. After all that Birute and her family had been through—from having to leave their homeland of Lithuania to losing Julius's beloved father and having their home destroyed—Birute and her family started over yet again. As a testament to her strength of character, Birute endured at a point in her life when many others less determined and courageous than she would have crumbled under the sheer pressure of all the adversity her young family suddenly faced.

Birute held steadfast, however, and truly flourished in Euclid, Ohio. To help support her family, Birute took buses for a time from her family's public housing in Euclid to homes in Shaker Heights to give piano lessons. But eventually, she was able to build a full schedule at her own home. She soon returned to the concert stage and went on to perform in major cities, including New York, Chicago, and Washington.

In Cleveland, she belonged to and performed for the Fortnightly, Cecilian, and Music and Drama clubs of Cleveland. While living in Cleveland Heights, Birute shared her gift with the community and taught for years at the Cleveland Music School Settlement and Ursuline College. Birute was also a visiting instructor at Youngstown State University, Appalachian State University, and the School of Fine Arts in Willoughby.

While known as a gifted performer, Birute Smetona was also a devoted mother and exceptional teacher. Her two surviving sons, Anthony of Cleveland Heights and V. Julius of Medina, both followed in their mother's footsteps to become concert pianists and teachers. Birute was dedicated to her students. She taught them to avoid a stiff appearance when playing by using a supple, flowing motion of hand, wrist, and forearm. Most of all, Birute was well known for her unique ability to clearly explain difficult musical concepts in a way that even children could understand.

Birute was a strong, courageous, and exceptionally talented mother, instructor, and pianist. She was a vibrant member of the Cleveland community, and I am proud to honor her life—a 91-year journey and adventure. I extend my condolences to her entire family—to her two sons, her nine grandchildren, and to all who knew and loved her. She will be truly missed, but will remain forever a testament to the character and depth of courage of the Lithuanian community in Ohio.