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Obituary for Peter Edward Jurusik

Peter Edward  Jurusik
Peter Edward Jurusik, son of Jean Keenan Jurusik and the late Eugene Edward Jurusik, died unexpectedly on September 21, 2016 in Atyrau, Kazakhstan, where he was working for the North Caspian Operating Company. At the time of his death, Pete was a resident of Starkville, Mississippi, where he is survived by his wife, Hedwig, his daughter, Christina, and his daughter Steffanie (resident in Minnesota). In addition to his wife, his daughters, and his mother, Pete leaves his brothers, David (Purcellville, VA) and Matthew (Elmira Heights, NY) and his sister, Kay (Rye, NY), along with many in-laws, cousins, uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews who loved and admired him.

When he lived in Elmira Heights, Pete was a star football, basketball and baseball player at Thomas A. Edison High School, graduating in 1972. He was recruited by West Point defensive coach, Dick Lyon to play football at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from West Point in 1976 with a degree in Engineering, and also graduated from the U.S. Army Ranger School. Pete married Hedi after his posting in Germany, and when Christina was a toddler and Steffanie a newborn, Pete and Hedi moved to Newport, Rhode Island where Pete earned a dual Masters Degree in International Relations and National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.

Pete lived his life true to West Point's motto of Duty, Honor, Country. The school's yearbook accurately described him as always smiling, with an easy-going nature that “easily made him one of
E-1's most likeable guys.” He was well loved and respected by his colleagues and the soldiers under his command. He loved practical jokes yet his soldiers called him “Square Business.” He was succeeded in one of his European assignments by one of his sister's college classmates, who always sought her out at reunions for the sole purpose of learning the newest information about Pete. His fellow members of the West Point Bicentennial Class of '76 will remember him during their memorial service at their upcoming 40th reunion, which Pete so looked forward to celebrating with them in late October.

Upon retirement from the active military, Pete worked in a number of security-related positions in the United States. Most recently, he spent over a decade in various communications and reporting assignments supporting the member companies of the North Caspian Operating Company in their work to explore and raise oil from the Kashagan field in the Caspian Sea, one of the largest petroleum developments in the world. Pete looked forward to finally celebrating the success of that venture during events scheduled for the coming weeks.

In his lifetime of achievements, Pete's badge of honor was the exemplary character and academic success of his daughters. Christina graduated from Emory University and received her Master's degree from the Indiana University Graduate School of Library Science. Steffanie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from St. Catherine's University, where her years of national success on youth swim teams led her to a record-setting and award-winning role on the St. Kate's college swim team.

Pete's wife and daughters will honor his life in a mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Starkville followed by interment in the church's columbarium. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, October 5th at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The funeral mass will be at 11 a.m.

We love you everyday. And now we will miss you everyday. God has you in his keeping. We have you in our hearts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Starkville, MS.
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