Jack E. Dusek Jr.

Jack E. Dusek, Jr., 74, passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family members on April 4, 2026. Jack was a "junior" to his father, Jack E. Dusek, Sr. and was the oldest of the six children of Jack, Sr. and his dear wife, Shirley Jean Mow Dusek. Jack is survived by his "main squeeze" and later wife of nearly wonderful 40 years, America ("Amy") McAlpin-Dusek, and his younger siblings: brother James Christopher ("Chris") Dusek, sister Terri Elaine (Clayton) Shepard, sister Jean Marie (David) Buczek, brother Scott Eric (Charlotte) Dusek and sister, Rebecca Helen Dusek and partner, Robert Wheeler, and many, many special and beloved nieces, nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews who were all like his own dear children. Jack was a protective and bossy big brother to his siblings and a fun-loving, generous "Uncle Jack" to his nieces, nephews and many precious other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and other dear and special relatives and friends. Jack was born in LaPorte, Indiana and grew up in North Judson, Indiana, once an important railroad town, where he learned to love trainspotting, especially trains running on the tracks right across the street from his family home. He graduated from North Judson San Pierre High School in 1969 and from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He then graduated from the Methodist Hospital of Gary's School of Medical Technology, after which he received his B.S. degree in Allied Health Sciences from IU. Thereafter, he attained his registration as a Medical Technologist, MT(ASCP). He later earned a B.A. in Accounting from Indiana University Northwest, becoming an expert at preparing his own and other family members' tax returns. Jack went on to have a successful career of 42 years as an MT, including having served as an Assistant Clinical Laboratory Manager during that time. Jack was employed as an MT at several hospitals in Northwest Indiana and Chicago, retiring in 2018 from Ingalls Memorial Hospital, currently the University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial in Harvey, Illinois. He remained friends with many of his great co-workers there and enjoyed holidays and other good times with them over the years. Jack was a knowledgeable and capable muscle car buff and auto mechanic, having bought and worked on both his first car, a red 1962 Chevy II, in his teens and later on restoring an exact replica of that car he bought as a "project car". He attended many Power Tour events hosted by Hot Rod Magazine and other car shows across the country over many years with his best and long-time friend, Larry Pixey. Jack was a life-long model train hobbyist and served as Treasurer of Ridge Model Rail Roaders in Griffith, Indiana for several years. He was also a long-time supporter of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum located in North Judson. He spent lots of good times chasing trains, and enjoying train shows and swap meets with his nephew and "super train buff" pal, Kaiden Roberts. Also, a knowledgeable history buff, Jack was an enthusiastic Civil War reenactor with the 9th Regiment Infantry Indiana Volunteers, Company E (the "9th Indiana") group, honoring an actual federal unit that fought during the Civil War. He also served as Treasurer, then President, of the 9th Indiana and spent many happy days at Civil War reenactments held at or near actual Civil War battlegrounds around the country. He enjoyed many happy times during reenactments marching into "battle" with his comrades during the day and then relaxing around the campfire with them in the evening. Jack became an Indiana Master Naturalist in 2023, having lots of good times visiting parks and other natural areas including many throughout the Midwest and Florida. After his retirement, Jack trained and was sworn in by the Lake County Superior Court as a volunteer guardian with the Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults (VASIA) Program of Franciscan Health in Dyer, Indiana. In that Program, Jack served as the volunteer guardian for and friend of an elderly gentleman who had no family or friends to assist him in the final year of his life. Jack and Amy enjoyed traveling and were blessed to be able to visit multiple countries and places including Alaska and others in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, various places in the Caribbean, and wildlife safaris in Kenya and Tanzania over their 51 years together. Jack's fun-loving and generous spirit will be remembered and sorely missed by many wonderful, beloved family and friends. A memorial service for Jack will be scheduled at a later date. In honor of Jack's memory, the family requests that donations be made in lieu of flowers to: Franciscan Foundation (payee) For: VASIA Donation (on memo line) Medical Pavillion South c/o VASIA DEPARTMENT ATTN: LaVonne Jarrett, Director 2150 Gettler Street, Suite 200 Dyer, Indiana 46311

Jack E. Dusek Jr.

September 4, 1951 - April 4, 2026