Sister Corita Bussanmas, trailblazing co-founder of Operation Breakthrough, dies at 87
Sister Corita Bussanmas, who championed children and co-founded Operation Breakthrough, died Saturday.
She was 87.
Bussanmas spent her life providing education, health and social services for those in need and championed families facing adversity, according to a news release from Operation Breakthrough.
“She is one of those rare individuals who always saw the glass as ‘half full’ — no matter what the circumstance — programming, people, support, sports, the list is endless,” Mary Esselman, Operation Breakthrough CEO, said in a statement. “She believed in people and their potential, noting that many of those she spent her life serving remained overlooked and unseen.”
Bussanmas was born Dec. 11, 1933, in Des Moines, Iowa, to parents Otto and Mary Bussanmas. She had seven siblings.
In 1952, she entered Mount Carmel Convent in Dubuque, Iowa, and in 1955, became a professed member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At Clarke College, Bussanmas completed degrees in education and Spanish. She also taught elementary school in Chicago.
“Sister Corita exemplified servant leadership with no task too big or small for her to pitch indirectly,” Esselman said. “From pumping gas to rocking babies she was an inspiration to me and to so many others over the past 50 years.”
She moved to Kansas City in 1967 as principal of St. Vincent’s School. A few years later, she and Sister Berta Sailer incorporated a daycare program and the school as Operation Breakthrough. The nonprofit provides social services to children and families most in need in Kansas City’s urban core.
They were both honored with several awards, including the Bank of America Neighborhood Builder Award in 2006 and the Marion and John Kreamer Award for Social Entrepreneurship from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2014. They also adopted four children and were a second mother to many others.
Under Bussanmas, Operation Breakthrough began to serve more than 400 children on weekdays.
“Sister Corita was an educational pioneer,” Esselman said, “her philosophy of teaching and learning is one many aspire to today — meeting each child where he/she is and providing a rich environment of unique opportunities and experiences.
“Sister Corita was an amazing trailblazer and her impact will be felt for many years to come.”
Her celebration of life will be held virtually on March 31 at 6:30 p.m.
Memorial contributions can be made to The Sisters Berta and Corita Irrevocable Trust at Country Club Bank or to Operation Breakthrough at P.O. Box 412482, Kansas City Missouri, 64141.
