Evelyn Krucky - Obituary

velyn Kuulei Chalmers Krucky 1919 - 2009 Evelyn Kuulei Chalmers Krucky, 89, passed away January 18, 2009 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law, Toni and Jordan DeTuncq in Edgewater, Maryland. She was born in Hilo, Hawaii to Moses and Florence Muller Chalmers. Evelyn left the territorial islands to study pre-nursing at La Sierra Junior College, CA in 1937. Following graduation from La Sierra, she received nursing training at the Paradise Valley Hospital and Sanitarium in San Diego, CA. Evelyn returned to Hawaii, where she graduated as a Registered Nurse from Queens Hospital in Honolulu in 1943. As a student nurse, she became engaged to a young sailor, Anton Krucky, Jr. She and her fiancé were both in Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941 during the Japanese attack. Evelyn was immediately called to duty at Queens Hospital to care for the Navy's overflow wounded as well as firemen and civilian casualties. After several days of no information on her fiancé, she received word that he had been aboard his destroyer, the USS Preble, assisting in rescue efforts and was unharmed. While WW II still waged, Evelyn and Tony married when his ship came back into port for one day. During the Korean War, Evelyn and her three daughters, Linda, Patricia and Toni followed her husband to Tokyo, Japan where their son, Anton, was born. Following the Korean War, the Navy sent the Kruckys to the Mainland USA, where her husband finished his twenty years of military service at the Pentagon. Several years later, Mrs. Krucky returned to her nursing career serving as a Head Nurse at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington DC. It was there the American Cancer Society approached her to become certified as an Interstomal Therapist, which she did and received honors as a pioneer in the field. Evelyn and her husband retired and in 1978 built their waterfront home in the Glebe Harbor community near Montross, VA. As members of the community's Club House organization they enjoyed many activities with their friends and neighbors throughout the years. Evelyn continued her regimen of walking five miles a day, working on her large vegetable garden and keeping up with her daily soap operas. Following in the footsteps of her grandmother, one of whose Hawaiian quilts hangs in the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Evelyn has produced many beautiful Hawaiian quilts for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition, although leaving the Washington metro area, the Kruckys continued their active membership since the 1950's in the Hawaii State Society promoting the music, cuisine and dancing culture of Hawaii. Evelyn Krucky is survived by her brother Mac Chalmers of La Cresenta, CA, her children, Linda Douglas of Reston, VA, Patricia Toregas of Pasadena, MD, Toni DeTuncq of Edgewater, MD and Anton Krucky of Honolulu, HI as well as ten grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, all who have been privileged to know and love her. A private prayer service was attended by family at the Kalas Funeral Home in Edgewater, MD on January 20, 2009. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Queen's Medical Center, Attn: Fund Development Dept, 1301 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; for Nursing Student Scholarships in memory of Evelyn Kuulei Chalmers Krucky, RN.