[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E41]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN HONOR OF THE LIFE OF LILIJA GRUMULAITIS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 15, 2020

  Mr. BRADY. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor the remarkable life 
of Lilija Grumulaitis and recognize her unwavering dedication to her 
community and causes closest to her heart.
  Although a devoted American, Lilija was not born in the United 
States. Born on February 15, 1938 in Marijampole, Lithuania, Lilija 
migrated to Germany and Australia before calling America home. Her 
journey began during World War II when Russian forces attacked 
Lithuanian cities--making it impossible to live peacefully under 
communist rule. In 1944, her family sought refuge in Berlin, Germany 
for four weeks. At the young age of six, Lilija vividly recalls 
uttering her first words in English to an America soldier at a refugee 
camp in Wiesbaden, Germany, ``Thank you for my freedom.'' Lilija's 
family dreamed of moving to America--where she could practice faith and 
support candidates freely--but at the time, her family had the option 
to safely relocate to Australia through the United Nations Relief and 
Rehabilitation Administration (UNRAA).
  Many years later, Lilija was able to fulfill her dream to come to 
America when she married Leonas Grumulaitis. In 1958, the couple 
arrived at Ellis Island in New York. The pair would go on to live in 
New Jersey, Illinois and Florida before making their permanent home in 
Conroe, Texas in 1979. It was in Texas where Lilija would establish a 
lifelong legacy of service. Seeing a need for representation, Lilija 
helped establish several civic organizations and was an honorary member 
of Rotary Club Lake Conroe. With a strong sense of civic duty, she went 
on to be a strong supporter of both President Reagan and President 
George H.W. Bush. She was entrusted to gather diverse crowds and 
encourage others to use their freedom to vote.
  One of Lilija's proudest moments was on July 26, 1972--the day she 
became a U.S. citizen. For decades after obtaining her citizenship, the 
joy of liberty never left her, once stating how inexpressible it was to 
see the Statue of Liberty years later. Anyone who knows her, knows she 
never failed to take advantage of the opportunity to thank veterans for 
her freedom as she had done as a six-year-old in Germany. For years, 
she expressed her gratitude through Christmas cards to over 200 
veterans each year and was a guardian on two of the Lone Star Honors 
Flights. Lilija is a remarkable patriot and example of how we can best 
serve our community.
  While we mourn with Lilija's family, we also celebrate the life, 
service, and legacy that will live throughout our community. I am proud 
to join her family, friends, and the Eighth District of Texas in 
honoring her life and steadfast devotion to the United States of 
America.

                          ____________________