Joseph Petrikonis

Dr. Joseph Petrikonis was born on April 11, 1909 in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Lithuania with his parents and grew up in the city of Alytus.

In 1938 Dr. Petrikonis graduated from the Medical School of the University of Vytautas the Great in Kaunas, Lithuania. He also married his wife Elizabeth in 1938, who was a nurse, and together they opened up a medical practice in Siauliai, Lithuania.

In 1944, during World War II, Dr. Petrikonis left Lithuania with his wife and two daughters, and in 1949, after spending some time in displaced persons camps in Germany, the family settled in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Petrikonis worked as a house physician at what was then Saint Bernards Hospital in Council Bluffs, Iowa until 1963.
In 1963, Dr. Petrikonis and his wife settled in Woodbine, Iowa where he practiced medicine until his retirement in 1996. Dr. Petrikonis spent his last years living with and being cared for by his daughter Marija Love and her husband Col. John Love III.

Dr, Petrikonis was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Woodbine. He was an avid fisherman and a lover of music. He also greatly devoted to his faith, his family and his profession.

Dr. Petrikonis died on Sunday, January 23, 2005 at the Mount Carmel East Hospital in Columbus, Ohio at the age of 95 years, nine months and 12 days.

Dr. Petrikonis was preceded in death by his parents, wife Elizabeth, and three brothers Antanas and Viktoras Petrikonis both of Juno Beach, Florida and Mikas Petrikonis of Alytus, Lithuania. He is survived by his two daughters Marija and her husband John Love III of Reynoldsburg, Ohio and Regina Makaitis of Omaha, Nebraska; grandson Darius Makaitis and his wife Ingrida Pakalniskyte of Lincoln, Nebraska; his sister Albina Ruzauskiene of Alytus, Lithuania; and a number of nieces and nephews both in the United States and Lithuania.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Friday, January 28th at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Woodbine, Iowa. Rev. Paul Strittmatter will officiate, organist Mary Kay Eby, vocalist John Love III accompanied by Darius Makaitis~~selection "Ava Maria". Congregational hymns of "You Are Mine" and "On Eagles Wings". Casket Bearers Darius Makaitis, John Love III, J.W. Barnes, MD, Robert Eby, Dean Stephany and Russell Tremel. Burial will be in the Woodbine Cemetery.
Scripture service will be held at 7:00 pm Thursday at the Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine, Iowa.