Rita Kusek, 90, died Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at Highland Park Care Center.
Rita Mary (Zahm) Kusek was born on the family farm at Spalding, Nebraska, to Lawrence J. and Grace F. ( McManaman) Zahm on March 5, 1925. Rita was one of five girls and three boys. Her
father was a first generation German-American farmer, and her mother was an immigrant to Nebraska from County Mayo, Ireland in 1895. Rita attended schools at Spalding Academy in Spalding and graduated from Greeley Sacred Heart High School in 1942. Rita later received her teaching certificate and taught grade school in the Greeley County Schools for five years.
In 1947, Rita met Michael John Kusek of rural Wheeler County Nebraska. Michael was a son of Thomas T. and Mary E. (Nekoliczak) Kusek. Rita and Mike were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at Greeley, Nebraska on Oct. 25, 1948.
After Mike was discharged from serving with the United States Marine Corp in World War II, he attended and graduated from the Nebraska Barber College in Omaha. In 1950, Rita and Mike and son Larry moved to Alliance where Mike owned and operated Mike’s Barbershop until he retired in 2001.
Rita was always kept busy throughout the years raising her and Mike’s four sons. Larry, Daniel, Paul and Pat. In the 1960’s Rita served as a teacher’s aide at both St. Agnes Academy and Alliance Junior High School. In 1972 Rita went to work, full time, for the American Leisure Company in Alliance. This was the predecessor company of Woolrich Inc. Rita was a sewing instructor and floor supervisor and retired in 1990. Rita was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed knitting and crocheting blankets for her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. (The Rugrats) as she called them.
Rita always enjoyed listening to the Big Band era music of Lawrence Welk and Guy Lombardo, and of traditional Irish Music. Rita was enormously proud of her Irish ancestry. Rita always enjoyed cooking for family occasions, especially her Barbecued pork ribs and Pheasant with cream of mushrooms. Rita was involved in the Boy Scouting Program in Alliance for many years when her sons were younger. Rita was active in the Holy Rosary Altar Society, The American Legion Auxiliary, and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.
Rita is survived by her sons, Lawrence (Anita), of Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska., Daniel (Jane), Paul (Cindy), and Patrick (Cheryl), all of Alliance, her grandchildren, John Kusek of Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska, Mark Kusek and fiancé Christie Barnes of Omaha, Jim Kusek and Lindsay Adams of Florida, Jeff Kusek of Lincoln, Greg Kusek of Omaha, Mitch (Kari) Kusek of Aurora, Colo., Brooke (Cassidy) Odean of North Platte, and Brent Kusek of Alliance her great-grandchildren, Jack and Ginny Kusek of Aurora, Colo., and Presley and Malin Odean of North Platte.
Rita is also survived by sisters, Marcella Thompson of Greeley, Nebraska and Grace (Daniel) Porte of Richmond, VA, her sisters-in-law, Nancy Zahm of Grand Island, Helen Zahm Honacker and Mary Kusek of Omaha as well as any nieces, nephews and cousins.
Rita was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Michael, her parents, her sisters Theresa Zahm, Anna Hoelting and brothers Bernard, Leonard and L. Donald Zahm.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1:00pm. Monday, May 11, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, with Fr. John Kakkuzhiyil officiating. Burial will be in the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance, Nebraska. Wake services will be at 6:00 P.M. Sundayat the church. Visitation will be Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at the Bates-Gould Funeral Home and at the wake service.
Memorials may be given to the Crossroads Assisted Living, Prairie Haven Hospice, the Nebraska State Veterans Cemetery at Alliance Foundation, P.O. Box 902, Alliance, NE 69301-0902, the Memory Support Unit at Highland Park Care Center or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com. Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.