Carmelita Rose Jusinski, age 96, passed away on December 19, 2020 at Woodland Hill in Hudson, WI. Carmelita was born on April 22, 1924 in Arlee, Montana, the 9th of the10 children of Charles and Clutilda LaPorte. To help out the family her loving aunt and uncle took her at the age of 11 to live with them in Campbell, Nebraska where she graduated from high school as salutatorian of her class. After teaching in a one-room school for a year, she enrolled as a cadet nurse at St.Elizabeth School of Nursing in Lincoln, NE, where she received her RN degree as valedictorian. 

She married Victor Danker in 1947 and together they had two daughters. They were married for 21 years before, sadly, Victor was killed in an accident. Carmelita did find love again, first in Walter Williams to whom she was married until his death in 1996.  In 1997 she was married again to Leonard Jusinski with whom she happily spent her final years until his recent death in  September of this year.

Carmelita was a smart and articulate woman. As a nurse she cared for patients and taught nursing skills in small-town doctors’ offices and later taught at Colorado College of Medical and Dental Assistants. 

She had a beautiful soprano voice and sang solos in her church’s choir, and all kinds of music, especially jazz and other popular music of the 40s and 50s, at home. She was even a talented yodeler, a talent she would threaten to demonstrate if she didn’t like something you were doing. She also enjoyed dancing jitter bug and line dancing.

She will be remembered as affectionate and outgoing, and no one who knew her will ever forget her wonderful sense of humor.  She could bring down the house with a well-timed one liner or one of her many unique and original funny sayings.

She will remain in the hearts of her children Dr. Vicki (James) Mayer and Dr. Pamela Danker; grandson David Brown; along with her “bonus” children from her second and third families, Dennis Higgens, Penny McColm, Leonard (Mary) Jusinski, and Sami (Ron) Sheuring; grandchildren Patrick, Kelly, David, Jennifer, Kristin, Blair, Michelle, Tui, and John, as well as many beloved  great grandchildren and nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her three husbands and by brothers Oscar, Midor Leodor, Albert, Ernest, Arthur, and Victor Eugene and sisters Angie, Elsie, and Adeline and special aunt and uncle, Imelda and Andrew “Bud” Hermanson.

Memorials are preferred to St.Jude Childrens’ Research Hospital.   https://www.stjude.org/give/memorials-and-dedications.html?sc_icid=wtg-mm-memorial-giving