Obituary of Verna Ann Kusanke

Verna A. Kusanke ~ 87 Brush Prairie, Washington April 30, 1929 ~ January 1, 2017 Verna “Vern” Kusanke passed away peacefully on New Year’s Day, 2017 in Brush Prairie, WA at age 87. She was born April 30, 1929 in Cleveland, Ohio to Frank and Julitta Harting. Graduating from Lakewood High School in 1947, she returned as Physical Education teacher in 1951 after graduating from Bowling Green State University. She was a proud member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and the first woman in her family to graduate from college. She enjoyed teaching dance, sports, and synchronized swimming and hanging out with her “potluck gang” until she married her high school sweetheart Robert W. Kusanke on June 19, 1954. During the first year of marriage she lived the life of navy wife and followed Bob and the USS FULTON to New London, CT, Norfolk, VA and Boston, MA until his discharge the following year. Son Kenneth was born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1956, and then they returned to Cleveland area to purchase a home in Parma Heights, Ohio where they raised their family and lived for the next 37 years. Allan was born in 1958, followed by Karen in 1965. Vern served her community in the early days as volunteer and member of the Aquadames Swim Club (YWCA), Women’s League of Parma Heights and the women’s golf club at Pinehills Country Club. In later years Vern and Bob enjoyed square dancing and round dancing while she worked as a travel agent. In 1993 they retired to Mesa, Arizona to enjoy square dancing, round dancing, golf and swimming. Over the next 18 years they went on 18 cruises to the Caribbean, Europe, Mediterranean Sea, Australia, Alaska, Hawaii and South America. They also enjoyed other travels through a condominium exchange. After losing her sight to Glaucoma, she moved to Battle Ground WA to be near family. Vern is survived by her husband Robert of Vancouver WA, brother Donald Harting of Davis, CA, son Kenneth of Brecksville, Ohio, son Allan of Akron, Ohio and Karen Phillips of Battle Ground, WA. Vern was very proud of her 7 grandchildren: Andrew, Matthew, Kasandra and Alyssa Kusanke of Brecksville, Ohio and James, Jacqueline and Joseph Phillips of Battle Ground, WA. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the home of Karen and Roger Phillips, January 22 at 2:00 pm. Please RSVP to bobkus1929@gmail.com or through Karen on facebook. Gifts may be sent in Vern’s honor to Washington Talking Book and Braille Library, http://www.wtbbl.org/Giving.aspx .