Josephine Mary Dushais

was born in Ashkum, Illinois on April 28, 1916. She died in Dallas, Texas on September 17, 2015. She was 99 years old.

Josephine grew up on her parents' farm (Carl and Mary Ortman) in Ashkum, Illinois with her sister Marge and brothers John and Bob. She later lived with her Aunt in Kankakee Illinois to continue her education. Josephine (Jo) was always in pursuit of "what was next." She experienced life to its fullest. She always wanted to be a pilot and so entered and won a contest for flying lessons. For a woman in that era it was phenomenal and received it's due in the local newspaper. Her instructor turned out to be best friends with Walter (Wally) Dushais soon to be her husband and the only love of her life. They were married in June 1942 in Winnipeg, Canada while Wally was enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He later served in the US Air Force while Josephine used her many talents as model, seamstress and tailor to help establish their family. They "did it all".

In 1950 they adopted their first daughter, Lisa, and moved from their Westport, Connecticut home to Scarsdale, New York where after his military service Walter started Dushais Lincoln Mercury in Yonkers, New York. Two and a half years later they adopted their second daughter Michelle and in 1955 they moved to a warmer climate where their best fiends lived in Santa Barbara, California.

Walter pursued the Real Estate possibilities while Josephine was a stay at home mom. No grass grew under her feet. She pursued her love of art that she studied in art school in Dallas, Texas. She was gifted in every genre she experimented with. If she tried it she did it well. She won competitions for her skill in painting miniatures and was acknowledged for her Russian Icons that she worked so tirelessly at. She welded, sketched and painted her way through those years. She was an accomplished seamstress making most of the clothes for her family. She loved to cook and incorporated different cuisines that she was exposed to through their extensive traveling.

In the late 70's they were recruited by the IESC (International Executive Service Corp) to go to Kenya Africa to advise the then relatively new leader Kenyatta on small business. How to build, run and succeed at it, something Kenyatta was very interested in and Walter was very skilled at. Josephine, while in Africa, created many of her native paintings, collected African Art, made beautiful jewelry from the African beads and learned all she could about local cooking. They truly enjoyed those years together.

Her faith was utmost in her life. She attended the Old Mission in Santa Barbara and once they moved to Montecito she attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church attaining the high lay position in the Catholic Church as a 3rd order of the Carmelites. She loved her Carmelite sisters and the family would like to thank them for the love and care they took and for their friendship. It was very important to her. She was a Eucharistic minister and a faithful servant whenever she was called. She was also a hospice volunteer for many years.

Josephine was the sole survivor of her parents and siblings but leaves nieces and a nephew and their children that she always remained close to. She leaves 2 daughters Lisa Dushais (Jim VonDerheide) and Michelle (Nevergold). She also leaves two grandchildren Kendra (VonDerheide) Fogg and Evan VonDerheide both of Westford, Massachusetts, and 3 great grandchildren Matthew James Fogg, Kaitlyn June Fogg and Avery Josephine VonDerheide all from Westford.

Josephine now rests at the Santa Barbara cemetery with her husband Walter who died in June 2009. A Catholic burial was performed by Monsignor Stephen Downes (Father Steve) of Mt. Carmel church on Saturday October 5th and a memorial mass was said at Mt. Carmel Church on Saturday October 10th by her Carmelite sisters. The family wants to express its gratitude for their love and prayers. The family thanks Tom from the Santa Barbara cemetery and Monseigneur Down and Maribel from Mt. Carmel church for their willingness to help on such short notice.

Many of her family have said that she was a mentor or inspiration in their own lives. Josephine "wanted to fly" as the grave marker she picked out for both Wally and herself expresses. And she did in everything she wanted to do.