Barbara Jean Kusek

Barbara Jean Kusek (Miss Kusek) passed over into the loving arms of her Risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ - the Messiah in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 5, 2026.

Born on Wednesday, May 22, 1935 to Charles L. Kusek and Cecilia Grzybowski Kusek. As an infant, her older sisters lovingly placing her in their wagon with their dolls for the short trip across Guilderland Avenue from the rented house in Rotterdam in which she was born to the family’s newly purchased forever home. Though she remained there the rest of her life, the impact of her life reached far beyond. and touched so many peoples’ lives.

Besides her parents, Barbara was predeceased by her brothers: Adam, Charles F. and Myron and her sisters: Ludwayne, Virginia, and Dorothy. She was predeceased by her sister-in-law, Jean, and her brothers-in-law: Stanley and Lawrence.

Her cousin, Sr. Mary Lucille Borowski C.R., who grew up a 4,000 feet walk away through the wood from her on Helderberg Avenue, is still active in ministry. Barbara was so delighted to hear that she is taking on a new assignment at St. Mary’s Academy in Glens Falls.

Barbara loved every member of her extended family the same and wanted nothing more than to spend time getting to know them and watch them grow into the fabulous people that God created them to be. Her nieces (Karen, Kathy, Terri, Debbie, and Jennifer) and nephews (Dan, Charles Jr., David, Ron, Tim, Paul, Stephen, Ken, and John) brought great joy to her life. Their life partners (Jim, Jack, Linda, and Gretchen) added to that joy when they entered the family. The joy kept growing when the great-nieces (Carm, Leah, Theresa, Kimberlee, Susie, Danielle, Cecelia, Elizabeth) and great-nephews (Kyle, John, James, Christopher, Jared, Andrew, and Zachary) were born into the family. They and their spouses (Kaitlin, Dan #1, Dan #2, Sam, and Emily) are continuing to bring new blessings into the family: Brynn, Charlee, Emery, Alex, Austin, Declan, Lucas, Eliana, JJ, Deacon, Jared, Anton, Desiree, and Tonia.

From the first day when her sister, Virginia, led her by hand to 1st Grade instead of the Kindergarten because Barbara already knew the alphabet, numbers, and how to read, she loved school and knew that she wanted to become a teacher. She consistently made the high honor roll at the St. Adalbert parish school. She graduated from Draper High School as part of the Class of 1953.

While working at the F.W. Woolworth’s in downtown Schenectady during her high school and college years, Barbara fell in love with everything related to business from marketing and merchandising to buying and bookkeeping. It became her dream to open a store of her own someday.

She continued her education at S.U.N.Y. Albany where she obtained her Bachelors degree in Business Education in 1957 and, later, her Masters degree. Miss Kusek became one of the first faculty members when Schalmont School opened in September 1957. Over her 43 year career there, she only took 4 sick days and 1 of those only because her principal at the time insisted and drove her home. She primarily taught a Business and became Chair of that department but she also taught Math and English as needed to middle and high school classes. She was a class advisor, yearbook advisor, and advisor to the students running the student store in the “Silo” located in the main lobby of the school building.

Miss Kusek was a tough but thorough teacher who would spend many extra hours (lunch, after school, and even at her house) working with students who needed extra-help. An army of young folks went through her classroom to go on and become secretaries, accountants, business owners, elected local and state office holders, and so many other fields --- and she remembered them by name right up until her last days. Through her many hours volunteering with Y-Teens, Miss Kusek helped many young folks grow to be their best selves. The Schenectady YWCA NorthEastern NY honored her as one of its Women of Distinction.

Barbara lived what 1 Peter 3:15 preached. She was not afraid to tell others that the source of her hope and joy was the Risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ the Messiah, and guided by St. Francis of Assisi's advice did it through action, word only if necessary - but always action first. 

Her Roman Catholic faith and St. Adalbert’s parish, which both sets of Barbara’s grandparents literally helped build, were so important to her. She was a member and officer of the Altar-Rosary Society as well as chair of its annual Card Party for many years; among the first lay Readers/Lectors after Vatican II allowed that privilege; a member of the parish’s first Pastoral Council when those began in the 1970s; a chair or co-chair for many years of the annual St Adalbert parish’s Bazaar (June) that evolved into the parish’s annual Dożynki/Harvest Festival (October); the first female Parish Trustee in any Catholic parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany; member of the diocese’s Peace and Justice Commission; member of the team in the mid 1970s that began the first multi-parish (4 city parishes) Faith Formation Program, which still exists and is based at the old St. Paul the Apostle school; 4th Grade and First Reconciliation catechist in that program for many years; member of the team in the 1980s that began the first multi-parish R.C.I.A. program; a member of the team that wrote the 75th Anniversary history book for the parish; worked with Sr. Bernadette Filter CR in the 1980s to develop the Pastoral Care/Christian Service Program at the parish; created with the help of her sister, Virginia, all of those wonderful bulletin boards in church for the many projects including the Christmas “Giving Tree,” sending cards to folks who were homebound or in a care facility seasonally, and the annual “Celebrating Our Students” (graduating students); head the BINGO program for the parish for a number of decades; and most recently a member of the Bethany Team (bereavement support group) at our three parishes Barbara believed in the power of prayer. She said the Rosary every night but not a simple five decades. She would dedicate separate decades to people (as a group but sometimes a specific person) and current events/concerns of that day. Not only did she offer one decade each night for her sisters in faith in the Altar-Rosary Society, she also prayed a decade every night for all Knights of Columbus living and deceased. The current (at the time) president, pope, bishop, and parish pastor each were remembered with a decade of the Rosary for their intentions. Even as her health failed and her voice waivered, Barbara did this consistently every day right up to her last night with us.

Calling hours will be held on Friday, May 15, 2026 from 5-7 p.m. at the DeLegge Funeral Home.  Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, May 16, at 8:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Adalbert. Interment will be private.

Barbara wanted her legacy to be supporting awards for graduating high school students as well as financial support of the parish ministries and community projects she helped build and loved throughout her life.

Donations in her memory can be made to:

Barbara J. Kusek Memorial c/o Schalmont High School, 1 Sabre Dr, Schenectady NY 12306.

Barbara J. Kusek Memorial c/o Knights of Columbus Schenectady Council #201, 3411 Guilderland Ave, Schenectady NY 12306.