Vanessa Kutnink

Vanessa Anne Kutnink, one of six children of Valmore Emil and Joan Ellen (Sosville) Bedard, was born in Suffield, Connecticut on February 18, 1959. Vanessa grew up in Suffield where she was very active in high school athletics, lettering in tennis, field hockey, softball, and basketball. Vanessa graduated from Sufffield High School in 1977. Following graduation, Vanessa attended Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, and in 1980 entered the U.S. Army. She attended the Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio, Texas where she was a Honor Graduate of her military nursing school. Vanessa then received her LPN degree in nursing at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.

On August 27, 1983, Vanessa and Robert Dean Kutnink of Irwin, Iowa were married at the Enfield Congregational Church at Enfield, Connecticut. Vanessa and Robert met at the Presidio in San Francisco, California where they were both stationed at Letterman Army Medical Center. Their marriage was blessed with sons Thomas and Timothy. While in the service the family lived in Arizona and then in Germany.

Vanessa was medically discharged as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army in April of 1992 after being diagnosed with Behcet's Syndrome. The family returned to the states from Germany and made their home near Emerson, Iowa. Vanessa was a member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Glenwood, Iowa and the Emerson American Legion Post.

Vanessa and Bob had been married nearly 20 years when Vanessa died at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska on March 10, 2003. She had attained the age of 44 years and 22 days.

Vanessa was preceded in death by her father. She is survived by her husband Bob Kutnink of Emerson, IA; sons Thomas and Timothy Kutnink of Emerson; mother Joan Bedard of Suffield, CT; sister Michele Allen and her husband Donald of Simsbury, CT, and twin sister Valerie Higgins and her husband Rory of Poway, CA; brothers Robert Bedard and his wife Christine of Coventry, CT, John Bedard and his wife Judy of East Hartford, CT, and Mark Bedard and his wife Donna of Enfield, CT; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.