Kussarts celebrate 60th wedding anniversary

Jun 2

2 min read

Donald and Janet Kussart were wed on May 27, 1966, in Cerro Gordo, Illinois.

They were high school sweethearts at Cerro Gordo High and both attended McPherson College. Their sense of adventure brought them to Juneau in 1969 in a VW van. Janet had written ahead and had a job lined up at B. M. Behrends Bank. The manager warned that housing was tight (apparently, a permanent Juneau condition). The first couple years they only stayed for the summer, traveling in the winter; most notably riding a motorcycle from Tacoma, Washington, to Oaxaca, Mexico, and then back up to Missouri over four months in winter of 1971.

But in 1973 they bought an old miner's shack on Starr Hill so they would be settled for their daughter's arrival in February 1974. They tore down the shack themselves and had a new home built on the same spot in 1984. They lived on Starr Hill until 2020 when they moved to the Cascade Manor neighborhood and finally got a yard and a garage.

Significant contributions/accomplishments over their time in Juneau include being board members of the Juneau International Hostel for 50 years. During their tenure the hostel went from foam mattresses on the floor of the Methodist Church basement to buying the Whitehead House with the help of a legislative grant sponsored by Rep. Mike Miller. They served as treasurer (Janet) and vice president (Don) and were regularly at the hostel doing maintenance, picking up bills, or covering a shift for a houseparent. They managed several remodels / improvements and hired countless houseparents.

They are members of Northern Light United Church, and Janet is very involved with the Community of Christian Women and planning the annual Christmas Bazaar. Don has been delivering Meals on Wheels for 30 years. They are Juneau Arts and Culture Center groundbreakers. Over the years they have been involved in many other fundraisers or community support programs such as selling UNICEF cards, putting together weekend food donations for food-insecure students, and raising money for Juneau Animal Rescue by selling Judy Cooper cards and prints.

The adventurous spirit that brought them to Alaska continues to this day as they have traveled to every U.S. National Park except for American Samoa; hiking in most of them. They were avid hikers around Juneau. Don hiked to the top of Mount Juneau on his 70th birthday. Janet hiked the Chilkoot Trail with her daughter and future son-in-law in the early 2000s. They still enjoy traveling and returned to Oaxaca last year and are planning a second visit to Crater Lake this fall.

Don and Janet exemplify the best of us as Alaskans: hard-working, adventurous, generous and quick to help. Congratulations to them on achieving this milestone!