Obituary of John E. Rikteraitis

OBITUARIES Rev. John E. Rikteraitis, 83, retired Pastor of St. Andrews Church, New Britain, passed away early Sunday Morning at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. Born in New Britain, July 24, 1925, the son of the late John and Mary (Kaminskas) Rikteraitis, he was raised in New Britain and graduated from New Britain High School. He served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1946, went on to St. Thomas Seminary, Hartford, CT 1946-1949, and then to St. Mary Seminary, Baltimore, MD, 1950-1956. He was ordained May 10, 1956 By the Most Rev. Henry J. O'Brien. From 1956-1964 he served as assistant pastor at St. Casimir Church in New Haven, CT, from 1964-1969 as assistant pastor St. Francis of Assisi, South Windsor, CT; from 1969-1971 as assistant pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Hartford, CT; and in 1971 he came to St. Andrew's Church as co-pastor and appointed Pastor November 12, 1976. Through the years, Fr. Rikteraitis has been very involved with the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Priests' League of Connecticut and the Lithuanian Roman Catholic Priests' League of America, serving in several offices of both. He was instrumental in the erection of the Lithuanian Wayside Cross on the grounds of St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hartford and has taken several crosses from the USA to be erected on the Hill of Crosses, the unique shrine in Siluva. Fr. Rikteraitis is survived by his sister Mary and her husband Ben Hicks of New Britain, his bother William and his wife Ginny Richter of Hamden; several nieces and nephews including Betsy Bujwid; three grandnieces Elizabeth Bujwid, Maria Bujwid, Martha Bujwid and a longtime dear friend Katie Salka of New Britain. The funeral liturgy will be held Friday at 10:30 A.M. at St. Andrews Church 396 Church St. New Britain with the most Reverend Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford as principal celebrant. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, New Britain. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. at St. Andrews Church, with a Parish Mass at 7:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrews church 396 Church St. New Britain, CT 06051.