Kazys Bobelis
Kazys Bobelis | |
---|---|
Member of Seimas | |
In office 1992 – 31 May 2006 | |
Constituency | Marijampolė |
Personal details | |
Born | Kaunas, Lithuania | 4 March 1923
Died | 30 September 2013 St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | (aged 90)
Resting place | Lithuanian National Cemetery[1] |
Political party | Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party Union of Christian Democrats |
Spouse | Dalia Bobelis |
Children | Aldona, Alena, Rūta, Algis & Jonas |
Alma mater | Vytautas Magnus University University of Graz University of Tübingen |
Kazys Bobelis (4 March 1923 – 30 September 2013) was a Lithuanian surgeon and politician.[2][3]
Biography
[edit]Bobelis was born in Kaunas. His father was Colonel Jurgis Bobelis (1885–1954). In 1941, Bobelis participated in the June Uprising against the Bolsheviks. Bobelis studied medicine at Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), University of Graz (Austria) and University of Tübingen (Germany). In 1948, he graduated maxima cum laude from Tübingen.[4] In 1949 he moved to the United States and lived in Chicago, working as a surgeon.[4] From 1962 to 1972, he was a professor of clinical surgery at Loyola University Chicago.[4] From 1978 to 1991 he was a private doctor.
While in the United States, Bobelis was active in the Lithuanian immigrant community. From 1962 to 1976, he served on the board of the Lithuanian American Congress. In 1979 he became the chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania (VLIK).
In 1992 he returned to Lithuania. From 1992 to 31 May 2006, he was a member of the Seimas for the Marijampolė constituency.[4] In 1997, he was a candidate for president and received 3.91% of the vote.[4]
From 1996 to 2000, he was president of the Lithuanian Baseball Association.[4] Bobelis was a member of the Catholic youth and student organization Ateitis.
Family
[edit]He was married to Dalia. They had five children: Aldona, Alena, Rūta, Algis and Jonas. They had a sixth child, Julius (1960–1977), who died at age 17 from colon cancer.
Awards and honors
[edit]- 1976: Riflemen's Star
- 1984: Order of St. Gregory the Great
- 1986: Ellis Island Medal of Honor
- 1995: Swedish Royal Order
- 1993: Order of the Cross of Vytis
- 2004: Commander's Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great
- 2004: Honorary citizen of Marijampolė
References
[edit]- ^ "Kazys Bobelis" (in Lithuanian). Draugas. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ^ BNS. "Mirė politikos veikėjas K. Bobelis - DELFI". Delfi.lt. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
- ^ leaders extend condolences over death of Kazys Bobelis
- ^ a b c d e f "Kazys Bobelis" (in Lithuanian). Seimas. Retrieved 2013-08-28.
- 1923 births
- 2013 deaths
- Lithuanian anti-communists
- Lithuanian surgeons
- Members of the Seimas
- Politicians from Kaunas
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Vytautas the Great
- Knights of St. Gregory the Great
- Loyola University Chicago faculty
- Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Vytis
- University of Graz alumni
- University of Tübingen alumni
- Vytautas Magnus University alumni
- 21st-century Lithuanian politicians
- Lithuanian expatriates in the United States
- Lithuanian independence activists
- 20th-century Lithuanian physicians
- 21st-century Lithuanian physicians
- Lithuania politics stubs