Vytas Dukas

Vytas Dukas, our husband, father, grandfather, and friend, was very much loved and admired, undeniably unique, brilliant and wise, and left his vibrant mark on many lives around the world. Born in Kaunas, Lithuania on February 14, 1923, he had a passion for life, and thrived on engaging others, sharing his keen insights with his infectious sense of humor, and direct, no-nonsense demeanor. After surviving WWII and immigrating to America in 1949, Vytas was proud to join the US Army and was stationed in Wuerzburg, Germany. He then attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he earned multiple degrees, including his Ph.D, married vivacious Marilyn, and moved to sunny San Diego with their daughter, Mary, in 1959. Son, Geoff, appeared in 1964. Vytas was a beloved and popular professor of Russian and German at San Diego State University for 29 years. He was a longtime contributor to the journal World Literature Today writing reviews and critiques on prose and poetry, mostly concerning authors from Russian, German, Lithuanian, Polish, and other Eastern European backgrounds.
Vytas was a true renaissance man: Besides his successful academic career, Vytas’ talents included a natural skill and joy for cooking, fixing things around the house, carving wooden figures, writing poetry and singing! Vytas loved poetry, especially poems which profoundly relayed the human experience. His memory was phenomenal, and everyone who knew him was familiar with his lively storytelling! He enjoyed statistics and loved watching and analyzing sports, including the complex World Cup Soccer groupings, tennis, football, golf, and swimming. He was always happy to discuss geopolitics and history, and had a strong sense of economics. He was also a natural dancer, and had an endearing charm that never left him – even during hospital stays he brought laughter to the medical staff, spreading cheer with his bright, sparkling smiling eyes. He would look directly at you, and somehow was able to look past your eyes and see what you were really all about. His understanding of human nature was natural and keen. Vytas had a special love for his granddaughters, Andie, Ava, and Skye.
Vytas’ beautiful, multifaceted, and indomitable spirit continues to inspire, and
will live on in us all.

Celebration of Life will be held December 22, 2018 at 11:00-3:00 p.m.
Parma Payne Goodall Alumni Center, 5250 55th ST., San Diego, CA 92115

Private family services and internment with military honor guard was held at Miramar National Cemetery.

The family requests no flowers, please; donation options will be posted later.

Abendlied (Wanderer’s Nightsong)

Über allen Gipfeln
Ist Ruh,
In allen Wipfeln
Spürest du
Kaum einen Hauch;
Die Vögelein
Warte nur, balde
Ruhest du auch.

Above all summits
it is calm.
In all the tree-tops
you feel
scarcely a breath;
the birds in the forest are silent.
Just wait, soon
you will rest as well.

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1780)