Dusanka Jakovljevic Armstrong

" Who have been borne by Me [God] from before your birth, carried from the womb; even to your old age I am He and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made and will bear; I will carry and will save." Isaiah 46:3b–4a ESV
The eldest child of Vladimir and Olga Jakovljevic, Dusanka was born on March 18, 1928, in Kikinda, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia), followed in successive years by her younger brothers, Paul and Ivan.
In the early 1930s, the family moved from the rural countryside to the city of Novi Sad, where her father opened a sanatorium (hospital) and became a prominent physician in Yugoslavia. Dusanka's childhood was filled with joy, she excelled in her studies, enjoyed horseback riding and skiing, and was surrounded by a large extended family. With the onset of World War II, her life changed dramatically as she witnessed the devastation and horror of war. Mercifully, the Lord preserved her immediate family, but life was forever altered by the rise of communism in the postwar years.
Dusanka continued her education and received her Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Belgrade in 1952. She practiced medicine in a variety of responsibilities, at times serving as team doctor for the Yugoslav national football (soccer) and basketball teams. In 1957, she moved to Paris, France, to continue her studies in plastic surgery at Sorbonne University, and the following year to East Grinstead, England, where she specialized in burn surgery under the renowned Dr. Sir Archibald McIndoe. In 1959, she relocated to New York City, joining Roosevelt Hospital to study hand surgery under the distinguished Dr. J. William Littler. It was during her time there that she met another physician, Dr. Edward Armstrong.
This period was profoundly influential in Dusanka's life, as she came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior in 1960. Although raised in the Serbian Orthodox Church, she came to understand her need for personal salvation and placed her trust in Christ alone.
Dusanka and Edward were married in 1960, in Leonia, New Jersey, and shared a joyful marriage of nearly sixty-five years. The Lord blessed them with three beloved sons: Edward, James, and Hugh. During these years, Dusanka dedicated herself to raising her children and serving faithfully at Central Bible Chapel in Palisades Park, New Jersey.
As her brothers later joined her in America, Dusanka's home became a warm gathering place for family and friends. In her later decades, she divided her time between New York City and Boca Raton, Florida, cherishing every moment with her eight grandchildren. She spent her final months in the Cleveland, Ohio area, close to her family, where she passed away peacefully at the age of 97. Her greatest joy was knowing that all her children and grandchildren shared her faith in Christ. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." 3 John 1:4
Dusanka is lovingly remembered by her devoted husband Edward of sixty-five years, by her son Edward (Sarah) and their children, Edward IV, Charles, Zechary, Jude; and by her son James (Karen) and their children, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Piper and Darcy. She was predeceased by her son Hugh and brothers Dr. Paul Jameson and Dr. Ivan Jacobsen. Her faith, kindness, and devotion to family will forever remain a testimony to the grace of God she so deeply cherished.
Friends are invited to pay their respects to the family from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank Street (Route 23), Sussex. Funeral services will immediately follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with interment at Clove Cemetery in Wantage. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.pinkelfuneralhome.com