HELEN EWING DUSCHATKO

DUSCHATKO, HELEN E.
Helen Ewing Duschatko recently passed quietly from this Earth in her home in Largo, FL. at the age of 88 years old. During her final days she was surrounded by family members offering her comfort and peace of mind.
She was born the last of three girls to William (Bill) and Helen Ewing in New York City, being raised along with her sister Catherine on Staten Island. After graduating from New Dorp High School, she went on to attend Rutgers University, class of '51, before ultimately graduating from the Yale School of Nursing and becoming a Registered Nurse.
Following graduation, she postponed her career to start a family after having met and married a young geologist, Robert W. (Bob) Duschatko in January 1957. With Bob's career in the oil business they made homes in Shreveport, LA, Oklahoma City, OK and Tulsa, OK. before finally moving to Humble, TX (Houston) in 1972. After the children were grown she went to work in the West Oaks Hospital System in Houston as a nursing supervisor in the Psychiatric Unit. Following Bob's death in 1988 she moved briefly to Largo, FL and then to Gainesville, FL where she retired and volunteered much of her time with the Friends of the Library. In her later years she traveled extensively with her sister Cathy, visiting such diverse places as Machu Picchu, Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia, and Scotland among others. She was an avid swimmer, loved to read, and took pride in maintaining an independent lifestyle. Despite all she did, she was happiest when able to care for and comfort the sick and unfortunate.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents Bill and Helen, sister Margaret, husband Bob, and son Douglas. She is survived by her sister, Cathy; children, Lindsay (Peter), David (Susan), John, and Diane (Greg); grandchildren, Blake, Logan, Andrew, Ian, and Gavin, and great grandchildren, Madden and Lily.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to a local Hospice, or The American Cancer Society, in Helen's name, would be appropriate. ~ Peace and Love