IN LOVING MEMORY OF
Barbara
Gusick
March 19, 1938 – December 26, 2024
Obituary
Barbara Gene (Velin) Gusick, age 86, flew home with her angels on December 26, 2024.
Barb was born on March 19, 1938, to Eugene and Marian (Smeeth) Velin in Ironwood, MI — then an iron-ore mining boom town.
In her youth "Barbie" enjoyed singing with her family, forging life-long friendships, skiing, art, and membership in Eastern Star—becoming Queen of the International Order of Job ' s Daughters. She graduated from Ironwood's Luther L. Wright High School in 1956, working at resorts in the north woods of Wisconsin and Michigan each summer to pay for college.
Barb attended Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, MI where she received her Bachelor's in Education, was admitted into the Kappa Delta Pi honor society, and was a member of the Beta Omega Tau sorority.
While at NMU, Barb fell in love with George Gusick, a star-football player. They married in June 1960 and made Iron Mountain, MI their home for 14 years—Barb teaching sixth grade at Amidon and East Elementary Schools; George teaching and coaching at Iron Mountain High School.
As lifelong learners, Barb and George each earned advanced Education degrees. As a left-hander, who ' d struggled with dyslexia as a child, Barb acquired a Reading Specialist Degree in order to help children like her.
When George became a school administrator in 1974, their young family moved to Hilbert, WI and then to Oshkosh in 1977. Barb taught English and Language Arts at the Omro Middle School from 1977 until her retirement in 2000.
During her 40-year teaching career, Barb helped thousands of students learn to appreciate the English language and literature as much as she did. She was faculty advisor to the Builder's Club, which sponsored 8th-grade dances, ran food- and clothing-drives for Omro's families in need, and sold thousands and thousands of bags of popcorn to help raise funds to purchase the equipment needed for the school. She was also an award-winning forensics coach. Throughout her career, she was a staunch member of the Wisconsin Educator's Association.
A life-long Presbyterian, Barb served as an Elder and Deacon at Oshkosh's First Presbyterian Church and lent her soprano voice to its choir for years.
Barb was a member and officer in the PEO sisterhood in Iron Mountain, Appleton, and finally in Oshkosh (Chapter AG), and a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a national honorary society for female educators. She served on Northern Michigan University's alumni association board for 20 years and was named a distinguished alumnus. In retirement, she delivered Meals on Wheels for 16 years; volunteered at the Ecumenical Food Pantry (now Oshkosh Area Community Pantry) for 12 years; and helped administer eye exams to preschoolers with Child Screening Services.
Given her love of history and geography, Barb was an inveterate tourist—with countless car trips around the United States, and multiple adventures in Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. In addition to being a passionate reader, she loved golf; bridge; salty jokes about Ole and Lena; Wisconsin Public Television; progressive politics; a good, long happy hour; and—thanks to 15 winters in Dunedin, FL— spirited games of Mexican Train Dominoes (whining loudly when losing). Each summer she loved to entertain in her "gorch" (garage + porch) and was proud of her well-tended yard and roses.
Barbara is survived by her son, Jay Gusick of Palm Springs, CA; daughter, Julie (Todd) Pohjola of Oshkosh, WI; along with three beloved grandsons, Kyle (wife, Tori, and great-granddaughter, Hadley), Zack, and Nick Pohjola. She is further survived by a brother, David (Vonnie) Velin; brothers-in-law, Donald and Gerry (Gloria) Gusick; sister-in-law, Margaret Gusick of Pound; and nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, George; her mother, Marian and father Eugene.
The family would like to thank Evergreen's ShareHaven Memory Care staff, and the AseraCare Hospice staff for the tender, compassionate care they provided. God bless each of you, and the work that you do.
A memorial service and celebration of Barb's life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, in Evergreen's Worship & Performing Arts Chapel in Oshkosh, WI — informal time for family and friends to visit at 9:30 am, with a service at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions made in her name to either her beloved Wisconsin Public Television or the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry where she volunteered.
Barb was born on March 19, 1938, to Eugene and Marian (Smeeth) Velin in Ironwood, MI — then an iron-ore mining boom town.
In her youth "Barbie" enjoyed singing with her family, forging life-long friendships, skiing, art, and membership in Eastern Star—becoming Queen of the International Order of Job ' s Daughters. She graduated from Ironwood's Luther L. Wright High School in 1956, working at resorts in the north woods of Wisconsin and Michigan each summer to pay for college.
Barb attended Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, MI where she received her Bachelor's in Education, was admitted into the Kappa Delta Pi honor society, and was a member of the Beta Omega Tau sorority.
While at NMU, Barb fell in love with George Gusick, a star-football player. They married in June 1960 and made Iron Mountain, MI their home for 14 years—Barb teaching sixth grade at Amidon and East Elementary Schools; George teaching and coaching at Iron Mountain High School.
As lifelong learners, Barb and George each earned advanced Education degrees. As a left-hander, who ' d struggled with dyslexia as a child, Barb acquired a Reading Specialist Degree in order to help children like her.
When George became a school administrator in 1974, their young family moved to Hilbert, WI and then to Oshkosh in 1977. Barb taught English and Language Arts at the Omro Middle School from 1977 until her retirement in 2000.
During her 40-year teaching career, Barb helped thousands of students learn to appreciate the English language and literature as much as she did. She was faculty advisor to the Builder's Club, which sponsored 8th-grade dances, ran food- and clothing-drives for Omro's families in need, and sold thousands and thousands of bags of popcorn to help raise funds to purchase the equipment needed for the school. She was also an award-winning forensics coach. Throughout her career, she was a staunch member of the Wisconsin Educator's Association.
A life-long Presbyterian, Barb served as an Elder and Deacon at Oshkosh's First Presbyterian Church and lent her soprano voice to its choir for years.
Barb was a member and officer in the PEO sisterhood in Iron Mountain, Appleton, and finally in Oshkosh (Chapter AG), and a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a national honorary society for female educators. She served on Northern Michigan University's alumni association board for 20 years and was named a distinguished alumnus. In retirement, she delivered Meals on Wheels for 16 years; volunteered at the Ecumenical Food Pantry (now Oshkosh Area Community Pantry) for 12 years; and helped administer eye exams to preschoolers with Child Screening Services.
Given her love of history and geography, Barb was an inveterate tourist—with countless car trips around the United States, and multiple adventures in Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. In addition to being a passionate reader, she loved golf; bridge; salty jokes about Ole and Lena; Wisconsin Public Television; progressive politics; a good, long happy hour; and—thanks to 15 winters in Dunedin, FL— spirited games of Mexican Train Dominoes (whining loudly when losing). Each summer she loved to entertain in her "gorch" (garage + porch) and was proud of her well-tended yard and roses.
Barbara is survived by her son, Jay Gusick of Palm Springs, CA; daughter, Julie (Todd) Pohjola of Oshkosh, WI; along with three beloved grandsons, Kyle (wife, Tori, and great-granddaughter, Hadley), Zack, and Nick Pohjola. She is further survived by a brother, David (Vonnie) Velin; brothers-in-law, Donald and Gerry (Gloria) Gusick; sister-in-law, Margaret Gusick of Pound; and nieces, nephews, cousins and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, George; her mother, Marian and father Eugene.
The family would like to thank Evergreen's ShareHaven Memory Care staff, and the AseraCare Hospice staff for the tender, compassionate care they provided. God bless each of you, and the work that you do.
A memorial service and celebration of Barb's life will be held on Saturday, February 8, 2025, in Evergreen's Worship & Performing Arts Chapel in Oshkosh, WI — informal time for family and friends to visit at 9:30 am, with a service at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions made in her name to either her beloved Wisconsin Public Television or the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry where she volunteered.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Barbara Gusick, please visit our flower store.
Services
Memorial Service
February
8
Evergreen Chapel
Starts at 11:00 am
Barbara Gusick's Guestbook
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