Vito Shimkus

Vito A. Shimkus

March 21, 2025

Vito Anthony Shimkus, 94, of Dalton died Friday in early morning hours at his home surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of the late Margaret Mary Ludlow to whom he was married for 60 years.

Born January 21, 1931 in a small village near Tauragė in Lithuania, Vito was the youngest child of Pranas and Ona Shimkus. Living in a WWII combat zone shaped Vito’s formative years. In 1944, Vito and his family fled Lithuania as Soviet forces advanced. His teenage years were spent in a displaced persons camp in Germany. Vito’s family declined opportunities to relocate to Canada or Australia, as the United States was their dream. Finally, in 1949 his family emigrated to Pennsylvania where they found haven and freedom in Fleetville. In 1955, Vito became an American citizen and always treasured his right to vote.

Vito met Margaret at a Catholic singles social in June 1961. Four months later, they were husband and wife. In 1964, they purchased a small house with a big yard in Dalton, where they became life-long residents and raised eight children.

While Vito embraced his American citizenship, he cherished his Lithuanian heritage. In 1978, he returned to his homeland for the first time while Lithuania was still part of the USSR. In 1990, he was bursting with pride when Lithuania was the first republic to declare independence from the Soviet Union. In the 2000s, Vito returned to his birthplace three more times, bringing some of his children to connect with their roots.

Vito was trained as a draftsman through the International Correspondence School (ICS), a profession that supported his large family. His drafting career spanned working at ICS, Poly Filters in Dalton, and GSGSB in Clarks Summit. In 1992, he began employment at Weis supermarket stocking shelves for 28 years. In January 2021, two weeks before his 90th birthday, Vito retired to care for his wife full time.

A dutiful man, Vito was known for taking care of obligations without hesitation. He will be remembered for his steady, reliable nature, no matter the circumstance.

Vito is survived by seven children and their spouses, Vito Jr., Dalton; Ann and Dana Coutts, Denver, CO; Joseph and Amy, Peterborough, NH; Mary Keinz and Randy, Murray, UT; Thomas and Beth, Scranton; Francis and Beth, Cincinnati, OH; and Michael, Fort Worth, TX; and grandchildren, Therese, Anna Mary, Veronica, Theodora, Kelly, Julie and Derek Shimkus. Vito was preceded in death by son, Jimmy

Funeral mass will be Thursday at 11am at Our Lady of the Abingtons, 700 W. Main St., Dalton, to be celebrated by the Rev. Arbogaste Satoun. Interment at St. Catherine's Cemetery, Moscow. The family will receive relatives and friends Wednesday from 5-7pm at Jennings-Calvey Funeral, 111 Colburn Ave., Clarks Summit, 18411. For those unable to attend the viewing, you may view it remotely from the following link: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTc0MjgzNDA1ODM1NTM3OSZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw==.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of the Abingtons Church, 700 W Main St, Dalton https://osvhub.com/our-lady-of-the-abingtons/giving/funds or Meals On Wheels of NEPA, 541 Wyoming Ave, Scranton, PA 18509, https://mealsonwheelsnepa.com. For directions, or to leave an online condolence, visit the funeral home website.

Vito has been entrusted to the care of Jennings-Calvey.