Brone Mainelis

BRONE MAINELIS (nee Ceika) age 99, beloved wife of the late Pranas; loving mother of Nijole Ruksenas (husband Algis) and Algis (wife Martha Juniper); devoted grandmother of Michael Ruksenas, Laura Juska (husband Michael, deceased), Paul Ruksenas (wife Erin), Gwendolyn and Mariah Mainelis and great-grandmother of Mikey, Mia and Asher; dearest sister of Gene Bieliauskas, Jane Skrebiene and the late Zose and Stase Ceika; dear aunt and great-aunt of many.

Brone (Bronislava) Mainelis was born October 24, 1920 in Skapiskis, Lithuania and passed away December 25, 2019 in Euclid, OH at the age of 99. She was a resident of Mount St. Joseph Rehab Center for the past 4 years and prior to that lived in Willoughby Hills with her family for 26 years. Brone attended school in Lithuania and eventually fled her homeland with her husband, Pranas, in 1944 when the Soviets occupied the country during WWII. They came to the US as refugees from allied occupied Germany in 1949 and settled first in Massachusetts before coming to Cleveland in 1955, where she and her husband raised a daughter, Nijole, and son, Algis.  Brone was a volunteer at a local scouting organization and cooked at girls’ summer camps.  She was a homemaker who was a great cook. Brone enjoyed gardening, sewing and especially traveling to Europe. She will be remembered as a very hospitable, generous and social woman. Brone was a great hostess, funny, witty and outgoing. She will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Brone to Hospice of the Western Reserve PO Box 72101, Cleveland, OH 44192 or ESC-NEO Passport School Program 8200 Cedar Rd, Chesterland, OH 44026.

Cremation by DeJohn Crematory. Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, January 4, 2020 at 10 AM at St. Casimir Catholic Church 18022 Neff Rd., Cleveland, OH 44119. Burial following at All Souls Cemetery. Arrangements by THE DeJOHN-FLYNN-MYLOTT FUNERAL HOME OF WILLOUGHBY HILLS.