MILFORD - Birute Avizonis Blazevicius, of Milford, passed away Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at her home. She was 97. Mrs. Blazevicius was born on April 23, 1914, in Siauliai, Lithuania, daughter of the late Professor Petras Avizonis, M.D. and the late Zofija Gruzdyte Avizonis. She graduated from Ausra College-Preparatory School for girls in Kaunas and the University of Vytautas The Great, the Department of Law School in Kaunas, Lithuania, earning a degree in economics and finances. She continued her graduate studies in the Institute of International Law at the University of Paris, France and in the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland. Mrs. Blazevicius was in the Lithuanian Foreign Service, employed as the secretary to the Ambassador of Lithuania in Warsaw, Poland. During World War II, she worked in the Emission Bank of Lithuania, Foreign Incasso and the Clearing Department in Kaunas. In 1945, Mrs. Blazevicius came to the United States and worked as a Statistical Analyst in the Actuarial Department at the home office of The Travelers Insurance Company in Hartford, Conn., where she was also the company's official translator. She also had a teacher's Certificate for several secondary school subjects and worked for the State of Connecticut Department of Education as a home bound teacher. Mrs. Blazevicius was a hardworking and decisive woman. She was a loving wife who enjoyed being with her husband. She loved classic music, nature, all animals and birds, especially dogs, always having had pets of her own. She was also a philatelist which was her pastime and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Mrs. Blazevicius was a charter member of the AARP Milford Chapter and spent many years helping with tax preparation for seniors. She was a member of the Milford Senior Center, the Humane Society of the United States, an auxiliary member of the Retired Officers Association TROA and the Dover TROA Chapter, a member of the Blue Hen VFW Post #6483 Ladies Auxiliary of Milford, the American Association of University Women, the Linguistic Society of America, the University of Delaware Legacy Society, the Elon University Order of the Oak, Elon, North Carolina and was a former member of the First Congregational Church in Bristol, Connecticut. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Alexander Blazevicius, LT Col U.S.A. in 1998; and three brothers and their spouses. She is survived by two nephews and their spouses, Petras Vytautas and Luda Avizonis of Park City, Utah, and Saulius Jonas and Aurelija Avizonis of Lithuania; a niece, Giedre Zofija Snipas of Boone, N.C., and their children and grandchildren and her special friends; Joyce Greenlee of Greenwood and Fillippina Kafantaris of Milford. A visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 10, 2012, at Rogers Funeral Home, 301 Lakeview Avenue, Milford. Interment will take place at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., where her urn will be placed next to her late husband's urn. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested memorial contributions to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963; or to the Greater Milford Boys & Girls Club, 101 Delaware Veterans Blvd, Milford, DE 19963.