Ursula Guseman Lusk

URSULA JOSEPHINE DE GEORGE GUSEMAN LUSK was born on May 23, 1924 and entered eternal life on January 1, 2015 at 90 years of age. She was one of three daughters born to Tanny Charles Guseman and Lena DeGeorge Guseman at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston. Their aunt, Rosalie DeGeorge, who lived with them, was like a second mother.

Ursula was a fourth generation Houstonian, whose ancestors arrived in Houston in 1884. Her formative years were during a transitional time in Houston. She grew up in downtown in the large, wooden Victorian home at 918 Bagby between McKinney and Walker built by grandparents, Michele and Ursula Ciulla DeGeorge in 1899. Across Bagby was a vacant lot (now City Hall) where the carnival staked its ground while in town. Ursula and her sisters, Lenora and Michelene, would sneak out of the house to play at the carnival, thrilled as the elephants passed by their home. City Hall Annex was built in the early 1960s on the former DeGeorge compound.

Ursula recalled Doris Johnson's making a house call to her mother to recruit the Guseman daughters for the Johnsons' new camp in Hunt, Texas. Thus began a tradition of three generations of Lusk females attending Waldemar. To escape Houston's heat, the Guseman family spent part of the summers renting houses on the Guadalupe River. The family, along with Aunt Rosalie, loaded clothes, toys and Aunt Rosalie's Pierce Arrow automobile, onto a train to also spend parts of each summer in Colorado Springs.

Ursula attended midtown St. Agnes Academy from first grade through high school, often riding the electric trolley. There she excelled as an advanced pianist and an aspiring violinist. St. Agnes girlfriends and St. Thomas High School boys gathered at 918 Bagby on the weekends to then walk to the downtown movie theaters, ice cream parlors, restaurants and shops. On weekends, they danced to live orchestras at the Rice Hotel Rooftop and Empire Room.

In 1939, the Guseman family moved west to the new suburb of River Oaks. Ursula attended National Park Seminary College in Washington, D.C. until the buildings were taken over during WWII to serve as Walter Reed Hospital for injured servicemen. She then transferred to Hockaday College in Dallas.While attending St. Agnes, Ursula met her future husband, then a student at St. Thomas High School. On April 1, 1944 Ursula married Charles "Buzz" Michael Lusk, Jr. at St Anne Catholic Church, he in military uniform. During WWII, Buzz left Texas A & M College to serve in the US Army Air Corp. Their 70-year marriage blessed them with six children. Mae Selden Lusk could not have wished for a more loving and attentive daughter-in-law. In 1951, Ursula and Buzz became some of the earliest residents of Tanglewood.

During WWII, Ursula's volunteer job during college was to serve as a Junior Hostess in the Stage Canteen, located in the basement of the family-owned Auditorium Hotel, 701 Texas Avenue in Houston. Food, drink and live entertainment were provided free to over 200,000 men in uniform on weekends from 1943 to 1946. The Auditorium Hotel, now The Lancaster, was built by Michele DeGeorge in 1926. Ursula and her children are still owners of The Lancaster Hotel.

Throughout her life Ursula gave tirelessly to volunteering at St. Joseph Hospital, St. Anne Church and School, St. Michael Church and School, Lamar High School Choralettes, Jesuit College Preparatory, St. Agnes Academy, The Charity Guild, the Magnificat Houses and the Theresians. She served as an officer and on boards of those entities. Ursula cherished celebrating holidays, birthdays and weekly visits with residents of the Magnificat Houses.

Ursula and Buzz spent many summer and winter months enjoying family vacations in Aspen, Colorado. She attempted to become a cross-country skier, but wails of giggles and laughter kept her from standing upright and learning.

The warm relationship between Lenora, Ursula and Michelene shined through in their constant laughter. The sisters maintained a strong bond through out their lives, gathering together three generations of their families for celebrations.

As a holy and spiritual person, who lived according to strong Christian values, Ursula attended Mass and received communion daily. Ursula's love was genuine and unconditional. She lived her life by the quiet example of the values she held dear: kindness and generosity. Never preaching or demanding, never speaking ill of others, she patiently opened her heart to anyone who wished a piece of it.

Ursula was predeceased by her husband, Charles "Buzz" Michael Lusk, Jr., son Patrick Joseph Lusk, sister Michelene Guseman Toomey and brother-in-law William Clarence "Smitty" Smith, Jr. She is survived by three daughters: Michaelene "Miki" Lusk Norton (Ralph E. Norton, M.D.), Charlene Lusk Dwyer (William H. Dwyer III), Annette Lusk Segura (the late Fernando Segura); two sons: Charles M. Lusk III (Kathleen Carroll), and James E. Lusk, M.D. (Catherine Dale), the latter of Shreveport. Nine grandchildren survive her: Michael L. Norton of Austin, William H. "Whitt" Dwyer IV, Alexander G. Dwyer (Elizabeth Williams), Emily Dwyer of NYC, Andrew S. Lusk (Caroline Kerr), Lauren Lusk Willis (Robert C. Willis, Jr.). Bryan E. Lusk, M.D. (Stephanie Yu), Stephanie Frances Lusk, Jeffrey D. Lusk, M.D. (Lauren Austin Lusk, M.D.) all live in Shreveport. Great-grandsons are Wyatt Lusk of Shreveport and Alexander G. Dwyer, Jr. and great-granddaughter Lila Dwyer. Ursula's sister Lenora Guseman Smith and brother-in-law John Jay Toomey also survive her. Unless otherwise noted, descendants reside in Houston.The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude for the gentle care provided by Maria Martinez for 23 years, and in more recent years, by Evone Duncan, Anita Garner, Brenda Parker, and Lavone Moore.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from 5pm until 7pm on Wednesday, January 7, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons Funeral Directors, 1010 Bering Dr. in Houston, with the Rosary at 7pm. The Mass of Christian Burial is to be offered at 10am on Thursday, January 8, St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Rd in Houston, where the Rev. William Oliver, Parochial Vicar, is to celebrate. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent Parish Life Center. The Rite of Committal is to follow, via an escorted cortege at Forest Park Lawndale where Ursula will be laid to rest in the mausoleum built by Michele DeGeorge for his family.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to the Magnificat Houses, Inc., 3300 Caroline Houston, TX 77004; The Charity Guild, 1203 Lovett Blvd, Houston 77006; St. Michael's Catholic Church and School, 1801 Sage Rd, Houston 77056-3502; and Houston Hospice, 1905 Holcombe Blvd, Houston TX 77030 or a charity of your choice