Valentina B. "Val" Stack

VALENTINA B. STACK (NEE RUSINA) WHITING, IN Valentina B. "Val" Stack (nee Rusina), age 90, of Whiting passed away peacefully at the Hammond-Whiting Care Center on Sunday, May 19, 2013. She was the beloved wife of the late Richard J. Stack, who passed away May 2, 1973; loving mother of the Rev. Jerome Stack, C.PP.S., of Whiting, Dennis (Evelyn Grudovich) Stack of Warrington, PA, Margaret (John Gazda,) Stack of Whiting and Jeff (Kathy Mielke) Stack of Roscoe, IL; dear aunt to several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her siblings: Mildred Siegel, Ann Rusina, and Milton Rusina. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 24, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. at the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119th St., Whiting. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:00 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting with her son, Rev. Jerome P. Stack, C.PP.S., officiating. Interment at Mount Mercy Cemetery, Gary. There will be visitation at the funeral home on Thursday, May 23, 2013 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. The St. John Rosary Society, together with members of the parish will offer prayers at the funeral home on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. The Knights of Columbus, Pope John XXIII Council 1696 will also offer prayers at the funeral home on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Val Stack was born on February 22, 1923 in Whiting, IN to Peter and Anna (Kello) Rusina and was a lifelong resident. She attended St. John the Baptist Grade School and was a graduate of George Rogers Clark High School, Class of 1941. Val was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Whiting, the St. John Rosary Society and the First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association, BR. 81. She was active in the lives of her children and always supported and encouraged them. She taught them to enjoy cooking and gave them the confidence to tackle household projects as she did. An active member of her parish, Val helped start the St. John School Library and was a volunteer at the St. John Rectory for many years. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Val enjoyed needlepoint, quilting, working crossword puzzles, bird watching and gardening. She loved to travel and had visited Paris, Rome and Florence. She was a former employee of the Montgomery Ward Store in Munster and Illinois Bell Telephone. Devoted to her family, Val will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the St. John School Endowment Fund would be appreciated. www.baranfh.com (219) 659-4400