Carol Petronella Rusko, of Lake Forest, California, died on October 3, 2019 at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California. She was 89 years old. She was the daughter of Francis and Petronella (Overlingas) Mickelbart, born on June 6, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She had eight siblings: Frank, Ann, Albert, Helen, Donna, Vincent, Theresa, and Benedict.

She married John Rusko in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. They moved to San Francisco, California, where their children John Benedict (Patrice) Rusko (Jan 5, 1952) and Patricia Lynn Rusko (June 19, 1954) were born. They lived for short periods in Georgia and Alabama before settling in Southern California, where they raised their children.

Carol worked for Bank of America for 40 years, and while she enjoyed her job and was well respected in her field, family always came first. She enjoyed spending time with family at bar-b-ques, holiday dinners, and polka dances. She was a devoted caregiver for her husband John during the last years of his life and a constant companion to her daughter Patty, who she lived with for the past several years.

She is survived by her daughter Patty of Westminster, California, and her grandson, John Rusko of Murfreesboro, TN, as well as many extended family members across the US.

She was preceded in death by her husband John Rusko on October 8, 2010, and her son John Benedict Rusko on October 14, 2017, as well as her daughter-in-law, Patrice (Dykstra) Rusko on April 11, 2019.

A memorial service will be held on October 11 at Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church, 21682 Lake Forest Drive, Lake Forest, CA, at 10 am with a reception to follow. Flowers are welcome, and the family has designated the Alzheimer's Foundation (https://alzfdn.org/) for memorial contributions.