Funeral services for Paul Kusy, 83, of Schaumburg, IL, formerly of East Moline, IL, will be 10:30 AM Monday at the Van Hoe Funeral Home Ltd., East Moline. Burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be 2:00-5:00PM Sunday at the funeral home. Mr. Kusy died Monday, November 21, 2011 at Friendship Village, Schaumburg, from complications with Alzheimer's disease. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Our Saviour's United Methodist Church 701 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg, IL 60194 where he was a member, or to a charity of choice. Paul was born December 9, 1927 in East Moline, IL, the son of Jerry and Bessie Kusy. He attended UTHS and graduated from Augustana College, Rock Island in 1952. He was a veteran of WWII and served in the U.S. Navy where he was chosen to sing with the Blue Jacket Choir at Great Lakes Training Center, Chicago before transferring to serve at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego, CA. His career included four years with the Augustana Research Foundation, a brief period at Bendix Corp. and the last 32 years at the John Deere Technical Center where he retired as Manager of Polymer Application Development. Paul loved his work at John Deere and was referred to as Mr. Plastic as he was instrumental in the change of equipment from steel to plastic and removing lead from paint while keeping the same John Deere green color. At his Coal Valley home he also enjoyed gardening on 5 acres and was generous in providing flowers, fruits and vegetables to friends and co-workers. Paul retired in 1990 and moved with his wife, Lillian, to Hot Springs Village, AR and Bonita Springs, FL where they enjoyed bridge, golfing and fishing and making many new friends in both places. As an active Kiwanian, Paul established a Reading is Fundamental Program for underprivileged children in Arkansas and was also involved in children's programs in Bonita Springs, FL. In 2007 Paul and Lillian moved to Friendship Village Retirement Community in Schaumburg, IL to be near daughter, Paula. The last two years he resided in their skilled nursing facility where Lillian could be with him daily. Paul is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lillian (Littlewood) Kusy, daughter Paula(Lee) Ekstrom, two grandchildren Erik (Julie) Ekstrom, Tara (Jon) Shinnick, three great grandchildren Andrew and Jacob Ekstrom, Benjamin Shinnick and a sister Jean (George) Kulles. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Fred Kusy.

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