Lithuanians in Arizona:

Antonija Liudvika Petrulis

Antonija Liudvika Petrulis was born on July 13, 1941 to Lithuanian parents in Germany. She died on July 28, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona.She is survived by her husband Vytautas and her three sons Aras, Aidas, and Marius.

Moving to Arizona with her family from Canada in the 1970s, Antonija, always full of energy, became a force in the political and cultural life of the Arizona Lithuanian community. From 1988 to 1992 Antonija was the president of the Arizona chapter of the Lithuanian American Community. These were crucial years for the break up of the Soviet Union and for Lithuania regaining its independence. Antonija worked hard to keep our political leaders sensitive to the Soviet occupation of Lithuania (see the photos below).