photo courtesy of the Lemieux Nurse Lemieux In uniform circa 1943.

She grew up in North Dakota, the tomboy daughter of a doctor who had served in the military, who with her brother got into lots of mischief. But as she grew up, “Corky,” as she was known to family and friends, developed a concern for others that carried over into her work with the wounded and the sick.

A niece, Elizabeth Lemieux, described Corky as an excellent nurse whose attention to “the little things” made a difference for her patients.

“She was one of the most disciplined people I knew,” Elizabeth said. “If she made up her mind about something, that’s the way it was.”

Corky’s service in the army nurse corps was recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars through the Veteran’s program of Catholic Community Hospice at a private ceremony Oct. 6.

Terry McCaffrey, clinical supervisor for Catholic Community Hospice, developed the program in 2006 to recognize and thank veterans for their service. She got the idea for the program after attending a National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization conference in St. Louis.

“We work with the Veteran’s Administration in Leavenworth and Kansas City,” she said. “Catholic Community Hospice started the recognition program because it’s important to thank the vets for their service. We have a little ceremony or present a certificate to the hospice vet at their bedside. It’s very moving and poignant for the vet and their family.”

Her son serves in the Special Forces and is a Bronze Star recipient.

“He’s one of the reasons the Veterans Recognition program was started,” McCaffrey said.

Elizabeth said her aunt Corky was pleased to receive the recognition, and still aware enough to know who was there and why. The ceremony, conducted by hospice chaplain Missionary of the Precious Blood Brother Darrell Charron, was held in her room at Bishop Spencer Place and attended by niece Kay Heilgeist, close friend Norma Glass, representatives from Catholic Community Hospice, and a VFW representative. Brother Darrell read several Bible passages from Hebrews, the Our Father was said, and a CD player played patriotic music including “God Bless America.”

“Her generation truly was the greatest generation,” Brother Darrell said. “They deserve our thanks and recognition.”

Corky was presented with the VFW certificate, which was also signed by the Catholic Community Hospice director. Brother Darrell said the ceremony stressed gratitude for her service in the military. He also was able to give her Holy Communion during the prayer service.

Elizabeth said, “Corky was always proud of her military service and pleased to have it finally acknowledged.” Elizabeth has the VFW recognition certificate now.

Corky Lemieux died Oct. 8 at the age of 90. Her three nieces, Elizabeth, Mary and Kay survive her. All served as military nurses.

Corky had landed with her unit on Omaha Beach in Normandy, recalled her friend Norma Glass, and the nurses set up a hospital tent in that vicinity.

“Life was tough during World War II,” Elizabeth said, “particularly in France and Germany. Winters, for example, were very cold. Portable stoves were dangerous, even if you knew how to make them work. American military personnel were each issued one wool blanket, and that wasn’t e nough to keep warm, especially at night. One blanket was about as wide as three cots pushed together, so the nurses would push their cots as close together as possible. That way they could pile on three blankets.”

Kay remembered hearing stories of how Corky was the only nurse in the vicinity who knew how to gather wood to keep the fire in the tent’s stove burning.

“She grew up in North Dakota and learned lots of survival skills. She was also very independent,” Kay said. Her aunt was a “gung-ho personality type,” but cared deeply for people. She was a care-giver in the best sense of the word, she said.

Corky was petite, stretching to 5’2’ or 5’3’. But she was strong. There is a family story of Corky and some American soldiers boarding a train late in the war in Germany. The Germans on the train managed to get the seats while the American soldiers were forced to stand. Corky called the American group to attention, turned the force of her personality on the seated Germans and got them to change places with the American soldiers.

She never married. During the war she became friends with the, Lois, the widow of a Kansas City firefighter, who was planning to return to the city to care for her aging mother when the war was over. Corky moved to Kansas City with Lois and brought her own widowed mother. The four women lived in an apartment on East 43rd Street near the Plaza for years. After the two older women died, Corky and Lois shared the apartment. When Corky was forced to give up the apartment, Elizabeth said, she was determined to stay near the Plaza. Her nieces got her into Bishop Spencer Place at 43rd and Madison.

She was a long-time member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, and the funeral Mass was held there on Oct. 12. The World War II Army nurse was buried at Mount Olivet in Kansas City.

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