Kazys Bobelis (4 March 1923 – 30 September 2013) was a Lithuanian surgeon and politician.leaders extend condolences over death of Kazys Bobelis
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Biography

Bobelis was born in

Kaunas Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Trakai ...

. His father was Colonel Jurgis Bobelis (1885–1954). In 1941, Bobelis participated in the June Uprising against the Bolsheviks. Bobelis studied medicine at Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), University of Graz (Austria) and University of Tübingen (Germany). In 1948, he graduated maxima cum laude from Tübingen. In 1949 he moved to the United States and lived in Chicago, working as a surgeon. From 1962 to 1972, he was a professor of clinical surgery at

Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...

. From 1978 to 1991 he was a private doctor. While in the United States, Bobelis was active in the Lithuanian immigrant community. From 1962 to 1976, he served on the board of the Lithuanian American Congress. In 1979 he became the chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania (VLIK). In 1992 he returned to Lithuania. From 1992 to 31 May 2006, he was a member of the Seimas for the Marijampolė constituency. In 1997, he was a candidate for president and received 3.91% of the vote. From 1996 to 2000, he was president of the Lithuanian Baseball Association. Bobelis was a member of the Catholic youth and student organization Ateitis.

Family

He was married to Dalia. They had five children: Aldona, Alena, Rūta, Algis and Jonas. They had a sixth child, Julius (1960–1977) who died at the age of 17 from colon cancer.

Awards and honors

* 1976: Riflemen's Star * 1984: Order of St. Gregory the Great * 1986: Ellis Island Medal of Honor * 1995: Swedish Royal Order * 1993:

Order of the Cross of Vytis The Order of the Cross of Vytis ( lt, Vyčio Kryžiaus ordinas) is a Lithuanian presidential award conferred for heroic defence of Lithuania's freedom and independence. November 23 is a holiday in honour of the Order of the Cross of Vytis. Histo ...

* 2004: Commander's Grand Cross of the

Order of Vytautas the Great The Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award.''Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija. 84 straipsnis''. Priimta 1992 It may be conferred on the heads of Lithuania and foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished ...

* 2004: Honorary citizen of Marijampolė

References

1923 births 2013 deaths Lithuanian anti-communists Lithuanian surgeons Members of the Seimas Politicians from Kaunas Grand Crosses of the Order of Vytautas the Great Knights of St. Gregory the Great Loyola University Chicago faculty Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Vytis University of Graz alumni University of Tübingen alumni Vytautas Magnus University alumni 21st-century Lithuanian politicians Lithuanian expatriates in the United States Lithuanian independence activists {{Lithuania-poli-stub