Clyde’s Corner

74 years later, Gabriele Mikelonis still thanks God and the U.S.A. for a better life

by Clyde Whitaker

Following on the heels of America’s Fourth of July celebration, this seem like a perfect time to write about a good friend of mine—Gabriele Mikelonis—who endured hardship and sorrow in her early life in Lithuania before moving more than 4,000 miles to the United States.

Born over 90 years ago, Gabriele recalls a time, she was probably 8 years old, when the Russians came and occupied her family’s land. They seized control of her family farm and forced her family, including her parents and four brothers to work the farm and provide food for the Russian soldiers. All the while, Gabriele feared the Russians would take her to Siberia, something that, unfortunately, happened to many people.

Gabriele remembers many bombings—this was during World War II—and she was always fearful that one might strike them. When the bombing started, she and her family would seek safety in bomb shelters.

As the danger to her family grew, her parents decided to pack up everyone and leave their home. Traveling by road proved very dangerous, as airplanes would fly overhead, shooting bullets at them, forcing them to jump into ditches for safety and scaring their horses away. During all of this time, Gabriele relied on her faith to keep her safe and to keep her going.

She and her family stayed at numerous refugee camps throughout the war, often sometimes with only the clothes on their backs. They finally managed to reach a U.S.-maintained camp for displaced persons in Germany, where they stayed for approximately four to five years. During that time, her family stayed in just a one-room house, so it was tight quarters, with everyone sleeping close together.

Gabriele remembers digging a hole in the dirt floor of that house to keep a piglet so she could raise and butcher it when it was big enough. She was always fearful that when officers would stop by to inspect the rooms, the piglet would squeal. It never did.

Eventually the family embarked on a nine-day boat ride to Ellis Island in the United States, arriving in August 1949. Gabriele was 16 years old. Her sponsors were the Ruth Ann Freeman family. Fun Fact: Shortly after they were sponsored, Ruth Ann married Angelo Parente and Gabriele and Ruth Ann are still friends, 75 years later!

After a year in the U.S., when she was 17, Gabriele met and married 32-year-old Raymond Mikelonis. Raymond’s parents originally came from Lithuania and settled near here in Jackson, where Raymond was also born.

She and Raymond began their married life on his 120-acre farm on Haines road outside of Fitchburg. They lived there, along with her in-laws, and later purchased an additional 180 acres. That was also when Gabriele became a member of the Sts. James, Cornelius and Cyprian church in Leslie, where she still remains active, 74 years later.

Raymond’s parents lived with them for 28 years. During this time, the couple raised six children—four boys and two girls. Her family has grown to now include 12 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Understandably, this was an emotional interview for Gabriele, as she relived some of those early challenges in her life. But she is very happy that people will read her story. For my part, I learned a lot talking with Gabriele; she is such a sweet and faith-filled person. It seems that everyone loves her and she them.

I asked Gabriele how she would like to conclude her story, and without hesitation she said, “God Bless America and God.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

All photos by Clyde Whitaker.

Gabriele Mikelonis has much to be thankful for, and credits her faith for seeing her through some hard times before coming to the United States.

Gabriele tends to her flowers at the farm she has lived on for 74 years.

After a childhood spent seeking out bomb shelters and traveling, often by foot, from Lithuania to Germany, Gabriele treasures her home in Fitchburg, where she has lived since she married Raymond Mikelonis.

The Mikelonises eventually grew their farm from 120 acres to 300 acres in Fitchburg.

The Mikelonis Farm in Fitchburg is still a working farm, and far from Gabriele’s life in Lithuania, where, during World War II, Russian seized her family’s farm and forced them to work the farm to feed Russian soldiers.