[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 117 (Friday, August 1, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S10904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       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.

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