Elena Sakas-Sluder passed away, peacefully at home, on Saturday, February 12, 2022, with her grandson, at her side.  Elena was also lovingly known as Bobune (pronounced boboonya) or just Bune to her family and extended family.  Bobune is Lithuanian for grandmother.

Elena was born, Elena Gricius, 100 years ago, on July 17, 1921 in Rokiskis, Lithuania and was honored to have many friends from the Buffalo, New York and Denver area Lithuanian Communities.  Elena was featured on the front page of the national Draugus Lithuanian newspaper when she turned 100 years and was pictured in her traditional Lithuanian dance costume.  Elena enjoyed singing and performing traditional Lithuania dances.  Thank you Alus, Arvadas, Lima, Briute and Romualdas, and many other friends from the Lithuania Community who continued to visit her while she was in home hospice care.

Many friends from AARP and her neighbors visited Elena frequently and called often.  Thank you Rocky, Connie, Cynthia, and so many others from AARP and the neighborhood.

Elena's room was typically a constant buzz of visitors and activity, even while the Elevation Hospice staff were taking care of her. Thank you, Bailey, Sabastian, Sarah, and all the other hospice caregivers, as well as her grandson Reed, for his loving live-in care, during Elena's final 14 months along with Tiffany and Justina, from the Monarch Society, for their care of Elena, after she passed.

Elena was a European and Germany survivor during World War II, before her and her first husband Clem Sakas (Sakavicius) and his brothers left Lithuania for the Buffalo and Toronto areas.  She would tell stories in Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, German, and English.  Elena loved to speak Lithuanian to her friends and family, and although proud of her Lithuanian roots, Elena loved America!

Elena became a dietician later in life and spent many years working in New York and Denver hospitals.

St. Thomas More Catholic Parish and Elena's faith were very dear to her.  Elena left a $10,000 gift from her estate to St. Thomas More and would be graced by any consideration of a donation to the church, or alternatively, "paying it forward", while thinking of her.  Thank you, Terri, Sonya, Kathy, Mary, Deacon George, Monsignor Fryar, and others, from the church, who all were part of Elena's spiritual guidance during the last several months.

Elena is survived by her daughters, Grace Sakas Bieliunas of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, and Regina (Reggie) Sakas O'Brien of Vail, Colorado. She also enjoyed the love of her five grandchildren, Dana Bieliunas Walker, of Vail, Colorado, Victoria Bieliunas of Ft. Collins, Colorado, Leah O'Brien, of Denver Colorado, Devin O'Brien, of Eagle Vail, Colorado, and Reed O'Brien, of Centennial, Colorado.  Elena has cousins in Pittsburgh, Wanda Stano & Birute Palamone & their families. Elena is also survived by her "cousin" Andy Sakavicius of Australia, as well as being close to the Dolata, Gamziukas, Sakas and Michalski families as part of her extended family.  She was preceded in death by her second husband, Paul Sluder.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, May 20, 2022 at 11:00am at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, at 8035 S Quebec St, Englewood, CO 80112.  Afterwards, Elena will be taken to her final resting place, next to her husband Paul, at the Ft. Logan National Cemetery, in a small private ceremony with family members.

For information on the service, or to send your thoughts to the family, please contact Elena's "son", and Estate Executor, Terry O'Brien, at " ElenaSakasSluder@gmail.com ".  And if attending the service, please let the family know, either by email or leaving a message at 303-290-9890.