Obituary for Stanley R. Symonaitis

Stanley Symonaitis passed away Easter Sunday March 23, 2008 at Panora Nursing and Rehab Center in Panora, IA. Mass of Celebration will be held 10:00 A.M. Saturday March 29, 2008 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Panora, IA. Stanley was born on May 6, 1922 in Torrington, Connecticut. He was the youngest of 8 children born to Joseph and Mary Symonaitis, originally from Lithuania. Stanley graduated from Torrington High School in 1939 and served in the United States Army from 1943-1946. He was a police officer in the Torrington Police Department for 25 years and was the first president of the Torrington Police Union. He also engaged in advertising specialty sales for 17 years. Following his retirement from the police department, he served for many years as a security guard for the Tomasso Company and for the Connecticut State Hospital Center. His last job in "retirement" was as a courier for a security company in Bristol, Connecticut. He married Joan Carew on June 3, 1944. They had one son, Dennis John, born on March 28, 1945. They lived most of their married life in Torrington, Connecticut. They moved to Ireland in 1980 but returned to the U.S. in 1981, settling in Bristol, Connecticut. They moved to Panora, Iowa in 1999 to be closer to his son and family; Stanley has been a resident of the Panora Nursing and Rehabilitation Center since then. Stanley and Joan had a deep faith in Jesus Christ and have been active members in the Catholic church throughout their lives. He enjoyed fishing, travel, many friends, and working in his yard. He was well known for his sense of humor and his cheerful disposition. Stanley is survived by his wife Joan; his son Dennis Symonaitis and his wife Kathy of Panora; granddaughter Erin Pearce and her husband Michael; three great-grandchildren, Marley, Cody, and Morgan Pearce of Urbandale, IA; and two sisters, Nellie Marone of Oregon, and Wally McCaughren of New Hampshire. He had numerous nieces and nephews. Stanley will be greatly missed. Please leave a tribute or condolence for the Symonaitis family by clicking on "Sign Guestbook" below.