Below is an obituary from Nichols Funeral Home:
WILMINGTON, MA — Vidmantas “Vid” Banevičius, 46, of Wilmington, passed away on October 15, 2026.
Vid was the loving husband of Inga Banevičienė and the proud father of their son, Mantvydas “Monty” Banevičius. Family was at the center of his life. He and Inga celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary in August, marking more than two decades of a life they built together filled with family, friendship and travel.
Vidmantas was born and raised in Kuršėnai, Lithuania. The oldest of three siblings, he took on responsibility from a young age, including cooking for his siblings while his parents worked. At just 15, he helped his father build the house that would become their family home.
Vid and Inga met while they were both college students spending a summer working at Valleyfair amusement park in Minnesota. After three months together in the United States, they returned to Lithuania to finish their studies and later married.
Vid began working at Gentle Giant in 2003, on just his third day in America. What began as one of his first steps in a new country became a 23-year career with a company he truly loved. He went on to become Corporate Warehouse, Material & Equipment Manager at Gentle Giant and was known as one of the company’s most dedicated employees. Even while traveling, Vid never missed a call or an email. His commitment to his work and the people he worked with was simply part of who he was.
Vid and his family shared a love of travel and made many memories together exploring Spain, Italy, England and Scotland. His goal was to visit one new country each year, and he and Inga had planned to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in France. No matter where their travels took them, they returned to Lithuania every year to spend time with both Vid’s and Inga’s parents.
Some of their favorite traditions were closer to home. The family loved trips to Ogunquit, where they would catch waves and walk along Marginal Way, and every year, the week before Thanksgiving, they traveled to New York City to see a Broadway show.
Vid also loved being outdoors. His happy place was a walk in the woods, whether that meant a long hike with friends and family or exploring a new trail.
Cooking was his passion. Everyone always looked forward to Vid’s smoked meats, baked foods and signature dishes. He truly enjoyed being a chef not only for his family, but for others, and he always made sure no one left his home hungry.
Vid also had a large, remarkably close circle of friends who were an important part of his life. These friends were truly his family. Many had come here without extended family nearby, so they created a family of their own, gathering at Vid and Inga’s home for Thanksgiving and Easter each year. Those holidays grew into gatherings of as many as 60 people, with new faces welcomed into the group year after year. Their home became a place where everyone had a seat at the table and no one left hungry.
Vid loved his friends with all of himself and never hesitated to throw himself into helping any of them, for any reason. He was kind, selfless and caring, while also being one of the strongest and most determined people you could ever meet.
That tradition of bringing people together will continue. This Thanksgiving, his family and friends will once again gather together, this time filling the table with Vid’s favorite dishes and carrying forward a tradition that meant so much to him.
In so many ways, Vid really was a gentle giant. He embodied that every day of his life, at work, at home, at the gym and throughout his communities.
Vid’s generosity extended well beyond his own family and friends. Twice a year, he volunteered for the Boston Lithuanian School, cooking traditional Lithuanian dishes, including cepelinai and kugelis, alongside friends for the school community. He continued giving his time even though Monty did not attend the school. He simply wanted to be there and help. For the past two years, Vid also took on another role at the school, one that brought plenty of joy: Santa Claus.
Vid was especially proud of his son, Monty. Their relationship was as much about the quiet, everyday moments as the big ones. Monty remembers being able to sit on the couch with his dad, put on just about any movie and simply laugh and relax together, usually with snacks nearby, especially their spicy dill pickle chips.
That same closeness followed them to work. Monty spent his summers working at Gentle Giant, and at the end of each long shift, he would head to his father’s office. The two would sit together and talk about their day before heading home.
Vid also helped inspire Monty’s interest in engineering. He was always excited to hear what Monty was learning in school and encouraged him to keep challenging himself and pursuing the things that interested him. That curiosity was something Vid understood well. During Vid’s own studies in Lithuania, he went on to compete at national olympiads for math and physics. Then in college went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in applied physics. When Inga was attending Harvard, he would read her textbooks so he could understand what she was studying and help explain the material to her when needed. His love of engineering and physics became something he passed along to his son, and he was incredibly proud to see Monty begin choosing a path that had meant so much to him.
Vid is survived by his wife, Inga Banevičienė, and son, Mantvydas “Monty” Banevičius, both of Wilmington; his parents, Joana Banevičienė and Stasys Banevičius of Lithuania; and his sister, Vilma Banevičiūtė, and brother, Valdas Banevičius, both of England.
Visiting hours will be held Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to noon at Nichols Funeral Home, 187 Middlesex Ave. (Rt. 62), Wilmington, followed by a funeral service at noon at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to support Vid’s family may contribute to the GoFundMe established in his memory: Vidmantas Family GoFundMe.
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