Dalija Wall

MADISON - Dalija Elena Wall, age 86, passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at The Bay of Belmont Health and Rehabilitation Center in Madison, WI. She was born on Aug. 6, 1935, the daughter of Alfonsas Žebrauskas and Elena Vyšniauskaite in Panevėžys, Lithuania as Elena-Dalija Žebrauskaite. She was affectionately referred to as Dalytė by her childhood family and as Dalija or Dee Dee by others.

Dalija was 8 years old when her family was forced to evacuate Lithuania because it was no longer safe. As the Nazis were retreating from the country towards the end of WWII, the Russians were advancing. Dalija’s father had been imprisoned because he had enlisted as a resistance fighter and when he escaped, the family fled with the family of his brother Jonas. They found safety at a displaced persons camp in Uchte, Germany, which was in the British sector, and lived there for five years.

In 1949 Dalija's parents emigrated to the US and raised Dalija and her three younger brothers in Cicero, IL, where she graduated from Morton High School. Dalija became a naturalized citizen in 1957 and she graduated that year from Little Company of Mary School of Nursing. She was very proud to become a registered nurse and worked nights at several health care facilities including Loretto Hospital in Chicago and Lee Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Des Plaines, IL.

Dalija married Delmar Wall in August of 1959. Together they settled in Chicago and had six

children. Her fourth child, Anthony Daniel “Pucky,” passed away in a house fire in 1969 at the age of 4. This devastating loss was hard for Dalija to overcome but she still had five other children to raise. The family moved to a home in Elk Grove, IL, and she stayed there until her husband Del passed in 1992.

Dalija’s oldest son, Philip, passed away in 2013 at the age of 53. Her four remaining children

include Stephen (wife Cindy Hinson), Mary (husband Guy Pearson), James and Anne Marie.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Ludwig (wife Anita) and Roman. Her remaining

brother, Julius, lives in the Chicago suburbs. Two dear cousins that came from Lithuania with

her and are like sisters are Lydia Herman (husband Jim) and Kristina Gintautiene

(husband Ben Skvirblys).

Dalija’s grandchildren include son Stephen (and Cindy’s) children: Katryna (husband Sam Carey), Josh Hinson (wife Brittany), Jessi (fiance Gary Johnson) and Zachary Hinson. Daughter Mary (and Guy’s) children include Megan and Matthew (deceased in 2020 at the age of 21).

Interestingly, Dalija was born just after midnight on Aug. 6, and she passed away just after

midnight on April 6. It’s just like her to have waited for that moment! She was a unique individual in every way, even in her eye color. She was born with one blue eye and one green eye. We will miss her sense of wit and the way she could communicate so much with just her facial expressions. She could be so funny and so endearing.

There is no memorial service planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mary Pearson, c/o Gunderson Funeral Home, towards a memorial bench in Dalija’s honor. Dalija loved flowers, birds, and nature. She never got to visit the beautiful places she read about. She loved to read crime mysteries, do crossword puzzles, and knit intricate doilies. So we hope to dedicate a bench to her and place it where she would have loved to sit and enjoy her hobbies.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420