Jessica Jonette Dusich

Jessica Jonette Dusich, 71, (March 4, 1954-April 11, 2025) was born to Frances Albina (Zakrajshek) Dusich, Gheen, MN and Michael Nick Dusich, Dojutrovica, Croatia.

Growing up in Ely, MN in the 1950-1960’s post-WWII decades was an idyllic time for children, for the neighborhood and for Jessica with Saturday sidewalk car washes splashing everyone on hot summer days as The Beach Boys’ songs filled the streets from Thunderbird convertibles cruising by.

Ely schools nurtured her love of reading and learning, providing opportunities for leadership at State Clarinet Competitions, as the Ely High School Band President, and Pom Pom Girls Debut season. Four years of German Language classes with Norma Gourley established a solid foundation for additional language studies over the decades.

Winona State University and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis inaugurated a lifestyle of lifelong learning both formally and informally in educational institutes. Jessica’s first nursing job in the Mayo Clinic Rochester system offered her positions for establishing initial stateside hospital, clinic and research nursing work. She achieved certification as a Legal Nurse Consultant with which she established a research consultancy practice.

Jessica’s interest in cultures and languages and her passion for helping the vulnerable and disadvantaged led her to serve as a public health nurse in Croatia with the American Refugee Committee, presently Alight, during the Bosnian War, 1993-1994; in deep, Pervian, Amazonian headwater jungles with Rainforest Health Project, 1996; for Romanian Iron Crib babies of the Ceausescu era from stateside, 1985; in the U.S. Virgin Island St. Croix as a territorial clinic manager, 2002 - 2005; and for Haitian children and teens rescued from child and sex slavery stateside with Restavek Freedom, 2017 -2022.

More recently, back in her Hometown of Ely, Minnesota, volunteerism has been local with P.E.O. Philanthropic Educational Organization Chapter FD (peointernational.org), Ely Food Shelf, Ely Senior Center, Northwoods Partners, and the Slovenian Union of America Branch 23.

Jessica’s lifelong love of Christian Scripture, The Trinity and Prayer has nurtured and enriched her as a Guardian through decades of service and life.

Preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, sister Darlene (Matt) Felando, and special aunts and uncles.

Survived by siblings Michael Dusich Sr., Patricia (Joseph) Ljubic, Daniel (Jayne) Dusich, John M. Dusich, nieces and nephew Tiffany Rados, Michael J. (Alyce) Dusich Jr., Tina (Mike) Dittel, Alexandra (Jamie) Kaiser, Crystal Culhane, Letitia (Mark) Lofquist, Brittany (Stephen) Swarts, and many great nieces and nephews including Matthew, Jackson, Athena, Rylee, Odessa, Levi, Sophia, Jackson, Violet and Theodore and a cousin Bernie (Kari) Dusich among others internationally. Special friends of whom she is truly grateful have touched Jessica’s life deeply throughout the decades and most recently.

Funeral services are at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 25, 2025 St. Anthony’s Catholic Church with visitation one hour prior. Father Charlie Friebohle will be the celebrant.

Family arrangements have been entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely.

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