Staff writer
When Amelia Vinduska, a longtime resident of Pilsen, died April 20 at age 104, she left behind a legacy of untiring service to her family, her church, and her community. She spent the past 5½ years at St. Luke Living Center, in Marion, and maintained an active lifestyle until the end.
Vinduska was active in the St. Luke Hospital Auxiliary. She embroidered tea towels and contributed baked goods such as kolaches, cookies, and cinnamon rolls for fundraisers and other activities.
She maintained a small garden, enjoyed flowers, and tenaciously held onto the practice of hanging clothes outside to dry.
Vinduska was known for her hospitality. She did a lot of needlework, including numerous quilts she made for family members. A note attached to one of her last quilts said, “This quilt was made with lots of love and stitches galore at the age of 94.”
People who knew her, remember Vinduska as a “determined” person who did not let anything get her down.
She had a stroke shortly after moving to St. Luke Living Center in October 2005 at the age of 99.
Many people, including her son, Ken, thought it would be her demise. But she was determined to walk and talk again, and she did, albeit with a weakened left side.
In 2006, she helped assistant activities director Sue Gutsch write a weekly column for the Marion County Record about activities at the living center.
Gutsch said Vinduska was “the most remarkable woman I have ever known.”
She said she never knew if she should regard Vinduska as her peer, her mother, or her adviser.
Vinduska attended every activity at the center and participated in every outing that was offered, Gutsch said. She was a lively person, always ready to share a good joke.
Activities director Robin Kukuk said Vinduska loved to bake and often came up with ideas of foods to make. At the age of 102, she taught several other residents the art of baking kolaches. She had a great memory and believed that experience counted more than recipes when it came to baking and cooking.
Gutsch said Vinduska “bloomed in spring.” One pot of flowers in front of the living center was Vinduska’s, and she made sure it was properly taken care of.
Ken Vinduska said his mother’s determination to live life to the fullest has sometimes kept him going. He said her motto was, “You can do it if you really want to.”
Gutsch summed it up this way: “Amelia never quit living. We will miss her.”