Joe Keponis's Page

Thank you.  My father-in-law was Kazys Gaputis (1917-2012). He was one of six brothers and two sisters. His father was also Kazys (Kazimieras died 1955) and I believe that his grandfather was also Kazys but I am not 100% sure.  At the end of WW II Kazys and two brothers the 2 sisters and 2 cousins on his mother's side (Morkunas) left Lithuania going through Austria and Bavaria trying to get to the American section.  They all eventually came to Montreal, Canada and later some moved on to Toronto.  Kazys had two sons: Andrius (my husband - we have two sons and one granddaughter) and Paulius (unmarried, no children).  His brother Kostas had one daughter, Daiva who has four children.  One sister Elena, returned to England and had a daughter, Ruta who has three sons.  The other two who came to Canada- Pranas and Monika- never married.  Of the three in Lithuania, Juozas joined the Partisans and was subsequently killed, Valdas had no children, and Adzius had a daughter Juze (jozefa) who has two children and a grand-daughter.  I have some information about my father-in-law's uncles and aunts.  I believe grandfather Kazys had a brother Pranas, who had two children - Stella who with her husband emigrated to the US; they had one daughter; and one son, Juozas, who was a notary. he had three children.

left to right standing: Kostas, Juozas, Kazys  seated: Vladas, Adzius, Monika, Pranas

pre - WW II

I have just joined the group. My husband is a Gaputis whose family is from Draseikiai, Lithuania.  I believe that Felix could be his great (great) uncle. Reviewing what we know about the family history the two branches of the family stopped communicating as the result of a feud (land or money).  If you have any records from the Joniškis church, I would be very interesed as Draseikiai is a small hamlet and I would believe that all the Gapučiai (pl. for Gaputis) are related.