Current and former Cavaliers GMs mourn Jennifer Ilgauskas, wife of team legend Zydrunas

LAKEWOOD — In a powerful show of support for one of the Cavaliers’ most beloved and respected former players, the team’s general managers from five decades attended Saturday’s funeral mass for Jennifer Ilgauskas, wife of former center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Jennifer Ilgauskas, who adopted sons Deividas and Povilas with Zydrunas, died on Sept. 11 at age 50.

A large group of mourners at St. James Church in Lakewood included five of the Cavs current or former top basketball executives, led by Hall of Famer Wayne Embry, who spent 1986-99 as Cleveland’s GM. Embry was joined by Danny Ferry, who played for the Cavs from 1999-2000 and served as GM from 2005-10, Chris Grant (2010-14), President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman, named GM in 2017 and elevated in January, and Mike Gansey, promoted to GM in February.

Former players in attendance included Anthony Parker, who played for the Cavs from 2009-12, and Anderson Varejao, who spent 13 seasons in Cleveland from 2004-16 and in 2020-21. Varejao, who once said Zydrunas Ilgauskas was like a big brother to him, served as a pallbearer.

Cavs legend loses his wife:Jennifer Ilgauskas, wife of Cleveland Cavaliers legend Zydrunas Ilgauskas, dies at 50

Mike Mancias, the longtime trainer of LeBron James who is now an athletic trainer and athletic performance liaison with the Los Angeles Lakers, also paid his respects. When Ilgauskas had his No. 11 jersey retired by the Cavs on March 8, 2014, James, then with the Miami Heat, chartered a jet from Chicago to attend the ceremony honoring his close friend.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas was drafted by the Cavs 20^th overall in 1996 and overcame serious foot injuries to become a two-time All-Star. Spending 12 seasons in Cleveland, Ilguaskas and James, drafted in 2003, led the Cavs to the NBA Finals in 2007. Ilgauskas followed James to the Miami Heat in 2010 and played one season before retiring.

Jennifer Ilgauskas owned several Northeast Ohio businesses — including Rebound Physical Therapy, North Olmsted Urgent Care, Lakewood Urgent Care, and the medical billing company Darbo — and was an avid supporter of many charities.

Reverend Deogratias Ruwaainenyi, a priest in residence in Saint Clement Parish, based his homily around the memorable line, “You is kind. You is smart. You is important,” from the movie, "The Help."

Ruwaainenyi brought up the words of Jennifer Ilgauskas’ mother, Justine Weiss, who told him she was “a roll up your sleeves and figure it out girl.”

“Jennifer, as I was told, was very kind and loving. She nurtured and cherished her friendships and always led by example,” he said, also noting her devotion to her husband and sons.

There were no eulogies. Near the end of the mass, Ruwaainenyi asked Zydrunas, Deividas and Povilas Ilgauskas and Weiss to turn and face the mourners to thank them. Always a private person, Zydrunas Ilgauskas acknowledged the crowd with a small wave.

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Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRidenourABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Former Cavs GMs mourn Jennifer Ilgauskas, wife of Zydrunas