Carolyn and Joe Turasky, Dana and Brad Turasky
The Turasky family in Springfield started with Joseph Turasky, born in 1881 in Lithuania. He married Katherine Yakst, born in 1891 in Lithuania (daughter of Paul Yakst and Anna Jucevivius).
Joseph (Sr.) and Katherine had seven children: John Turasky, born in 1909 (wife Della), Joseph Turasky (Jr.), born in 1910 (wife Catherine “Cassie” Ambrose), and Agnes (husband Lindell Walthers), Helen (husband Ed Price), Charles (wife Louise), Betty (husband Joseph Fitzpatrick) and Frances Turasky (husband Joseph Dowd).
Joseph Turasky (Jr.)’s wife, Cassie Ambrose, born in Springfield in 1916, was the daughter of Antanas Brazas (Ambrose), born in Lithuania in 1880, and Victoria Stockus, born in Lithuania in 1882. Joseph was a long-time member of St. Vincent de Paul Lithuanian Catholic Church, serving as a trustee and a member of the church’s 50th anniversary Jubilee Committee in 1956. He also was a member of the choir that sang during the visit of Lithuania’s president in exile, Antanas Smetona, in 1941.
Joseph Jr. and Cassie had a son, Joseph, born in 1941, who served as an altar boy at St. Vincent’s, and has been an officer or generous supporter of Springfield’s Lithuanian-American Club since serving as one of its founders in 1988. Joe married Carolyn Ann Mazzier in 1967. They have a son, Bradley Joseph Turasky, born in 1981. He married Dana Ervin in 2008.
Joe and Brad Turasky own and operate Y-T Packing and Turasky Meats, a Springfield family business founded by Joe’s father in 1949.
Lithuanians in Springfield, Illinois 
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Leanne Patterson (Turasky) said:
Thanks for the article, my grandfather was John, Della was my grandmother! I miss them so much and this brings a smile to my face!!
Linda McKinley said:
I am a cousin – the granddaughter of John and Della. my dad is their 2nd son Robert. I live in St. Louis Mo. I love hearing about my family – i didn’t have much luck with the Turasky family on ancestry.com. Would love to meet you.
David Turasky said:
I love Turasky meats and Y and T packing. Met my cousin tony jr who I believe owned and operated a steak house in Dawson Illinois . I had lunch there a couple of times while working in the area .
David Turasky St. Louis Mo.
Laurie Gage said:
Leanne, Linda and David (plus Doug) are my siblings, my name is Laurie Gage (Turasky) and I’m in Tampa. John and Della are my grandparents. Thanks for sharing!!
sandyb52 said:
Dear Laurie, David, Linda and Leanne: I would be happy to get some jpeg photos and information about your branch of the family. I have so little, compared to my other family profiles, about any of the Turaskies. Sandy
Chris Schuster said:
In 7th and 8th Grade at St. Aloysius parish school our Music teacher was Mr. Turasky, can’t remember his first name. But most memorable was that he had access to the Carillon at Washington Park and we all went there on a field trip and he played the carillon for us, while were all in the keyboard room watching him play. The delay between key presses and ringing seemed like a second or two, so playing had to be a challenge to stay focussed on rhythm and timing. I remember what a unique experience that was. This would have been 1963-64, I think.