Obituary of Elvyra Therese Krausas

May 3, 1937 – Vilnius, Lithuania

October 17, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

We bid farewell to an amazing, fearless, mischievous, curious, kind, joyful, funny, adventurous, thoughtful and beautiful woman. Elvyra Therese (nee Stankevičiutė) was born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1937. When she was five, her family fled the Communist invasion of Lithuania and spent much of World War II in Displaced Persons camps in Germany. In 1949, the family moved to Australia. Her mother passed away in 1951, and Elvyra attended boarding school while her father, Jonas, worked and eventually started his own business.

In 1961, Elvyra married Arvydas, and in 1963 they welcomed their daughter, Veronika. After graduating from the University of Sydney in 1962 with degrees in Science and Education, she began teaching Sciences at Saint Mary’s High School in New South Wales. Elvyra, Arvydas and Veronika immigrated to Canada, settling in Calgary, AB, in 1967. She taught chemistry, biology, and physics at Viscount Bennett Senior High, A.E. Cross Junior High, Sir John Franklin Junior High, Henry Wise Wood Senior High, and Crescent Heights Senior High. She was respected and cherished by both her students and colleagues.

In 1975, her father, John, and his wife, Mary, moved to Calgary, AB, from Australia to be closer to Elvyra, their granddaughter, and son-in-law. Mary, her close friend, passed away in 1985, followed by her beloved father in 1992.

After 37 years of teaching, she retired in 2001 to embrace new hobbies, community involvement, and a passion for travel. Together with her husband, and sometimes her daughter, they travelled to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic, and explored Canada, the United States, Thailand, Australia, Europe, and Lithuania. Even after her husband's passing, her adventurous spirit thrived. She frequently visited her daughter in Los Angeles, and together they continued their travels, exploring Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and the San Juan Islands, where they arrived by float plane.

Elvyra was deeply involved in the Lithuanian Canadian community throughout her adult life, serving for many years as president of the Calgary Lithuanian Society. She also volunteered her time with the Alberta Cultural Heritage Council, Alberta Cultural Heritage Foundation, and the Calgary Cooperative Memorial Society. As a member of CALL (Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners), she embraced a love of learning. Elvyra enjoyed reading, quilting, playing bridge, gardening, feeding birds, taking walks, finding new recipes, making lists, exploring and experiencing everything. Her warmth and joy touched everyone who knew her.

She has now reunited with her beloved husband, Arvydas. Though she will be deeply missed, we are forever grateful to have been part of her kind and magical universe.

If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, friends are kindly invited to consider making a donation to one of the charities that Elvyra and her husband supported: The Mustard Seed, an organization that helps homelessness and poverty in Calgary at www.theseed.ca/ways-to-give/, or to the Calgary Opera, which they both loved attending together, at www.calgaryopera.com.

At Elvyra’s request, there will be no service. 

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Elvyra’s family here.

In living memory of Elvyra Krausas, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-276-2296.