Dr. Ceslovas Masaitis

1912 – 2007

Putnam – Ceslovas Masaitis, 95, of Thurber Road, died Friday, September 7, 2007 in Matulaitis Nursing Home.  He was the loving husband of the late Elena (Balciunas) Masaitis.  Born in Kaunas, Lithuania on March 2, 1912, he was the son of the late Juozas and Jadvyga (Butkeviciute) Masaitis.

Dr. Masaitis graduated from the Univer­sity of Kaunas in 1937, he was ap­pointed laboratory assistant with the Department of Mathematics and Science at the same university.  In 1940, he was transferred to the University of Vilnius as assistant instructor where he conducted research in problems of Galactic structure under Bernardas Kodatis, head of the Astronomical Ob­servatory in Vilnius.  From 1945–49 he worked in the administration of refu­gee camps in Germany, served as dep­uty director of the European office of the United Lithuanian Relief Fund of America, and was a member of the Executive Council of the Supreme Committee for Liberation of Lithua­nia in 1946-47.  Coming to the United States in 1949, Masaitis taught under­graduate mathematics at Nazareth College (Nazareth, Kentucky), at the University of Kentucky, and at the University of Tennessee.  In 1956 he re­ceived a Ph.D. degree in mathematics from the University of Tennessee and joined the Ballistic Research Labora­tories, Aberdeen· Proving Ground, Maryland, as mathematician; in 1964 he became chief of the Applied Math­ematics Branch at the Laboratories.  From 1957-69 he taught graduate courses in mathematics at an Extension of the University of Delaware.  Since 1963, he is a part-time faculty member (assistant professor since 1968) of the School of Medicine, University of Maryland in Baltimore.  His publications include over 40 technical reports and papers in ballistics, applied mathematics, and biophysics.  Masaitis also has contributed to Lithuanian periodicals, to the Lithuanian Encyclopedia (editor of the astronomy section), and to Encyclopedia Lituanica.

Ceslovas is survived by several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Ceslovas’ family Thursday, September 13, 2007 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am in the Gilman Funeral Home, 104 Church St., Putnam, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 am in Matulaitis Chapel, 10 Thurber Rd., Putnam.  Burial to follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Putnam, CT.