Josephine Mockaitis

Published 7:50 am Thursday, August 16, 2018

January 25, 1923 – August 9, 2018

Josephine (Paterabas) Mockaitis, born January 25, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois, of Lithuanian immigrant parents, Joseph and Frances (Balcunas) Paterabas, passed away at her home surrounded by family on August 9, 2018. Though an only child, she was embraced by many cousins who treated her like a sister. She was an intelligent and active young woman and the Catholic faith of her parents and other relatives developed a love for the Church and her Lithuanian heritage. After her early life in Chicago, she enrolled in St. Mary of the Woods College in Indiana. Upon graduation she served in social work and later for a short time as a translator with the FBI for immigrants seeking asylum in Chicago.

In 1946, she married Peter Mockaitis, likewise of Chicago. Over the course of 50 years of marriage she became known as an eager and generous volunteer in Catholic schools, hospital visitation, food distribution, Right to Life causes and a variety of other areas. Her love for family, music, art, history, travel and the Church made her known and loved as a compassionate and generous woman. Upon moving from Chicago to Bend, Oregon, in 1984, she and her husband Peter also became involved at St. Francis Church, St. Vincent De Paul and St. Charles hospital. Yet, despite her community involvement, the role she valued most, was that of wife and mother. She was a warm, enormously hospitable, and nurturing woman.

She is survived by four of her children, Fr. Timothy Mockaitis (Salem, Oregon), Michael (and Valerie) Mockaitis (Chicago), James Mockaitis (Bend, Oregon), and daughter, Katherine (and James) Chapel (Bend, Oregon). Included are six grandchildren, Michael and Joseph Mockaitis, Alexander and Grace Mockaitis, James and Robert Chapel. She is preceded in death by her husband, Ignatius Peter in 1996 and her son, Stephen in 2009. Her Mass of Christian burial will be held at the historic St. Francis of Assisi Church in downtown Bend on August 14 (9:30am rosary), 10am Mass. Memorial Contributions may be made to Oregon Right to Life, St. Vincent De Paul, or St. Francis Church.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home, Bend. Please visit the online registry for Josephine at niswonger-reynolds.com.