Nancy Dusseau

Obituary of Nancy Dusseau

“This is my story, this is my song, praising my savior all the day long...”

Nancy Fairbanks Weber Dusseau was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt,
grandmother, great grandmother, teacher, and friend. She was defined by her love of and
relationship to God and how that informed her life; a life filled with love and gratitude; grace
and warmth; humor and laughter; forgiveness and grace. She loved her family deeply and
always put them first, sometimes to her detriment. And she treated everyone she met as
family, calling them “dahlin’”, hugging them, and telling them that she loved them. This was
not an “act”: this was the real Nancy! She always had a smile for you, and she loved to laugh
and make others laugh too. A self-taught pianist and singer, Nancy loved to play and sing and
listen to music. Her daughters, Debbie and Kathy, fondly remember days when their mother
sang hymns while she was working in the house, and evenings when the family sang together
around the piano. Nancy also loved being outdoors: walking (fast! Mom always walked fast!),
hiking, cycling, skiing, camping, boating and driving; all while enjoying the beauty of God’s
earth. And she loved animals: the family pets and the farm animals on the ranch.

More of Nancy’s story:
Nancy was born in Melrose, Massachusetts to Reginald Francis Fairbanks and Hazel Ruth
Blaisdell Fairbanks on May 13, 1935. Her beloved brother, Paul Laurence Fairbanks, came
before her in 1934 and her dear brother, Richard Walter Fairbanks, was born in 1939. Always
on the go, Nancy loved to run, ice skate on the local ponds, and ski down the family’s front lawn
into the neighbors’ yard. She often ran or biked to her friend, Zeke’s farm to help with the
animals. A highlight for her, were the family’s annual summer adventures on Cape Cod that
instilled in her the love of God’s beautiful creation. As a teen, Nancy worked during the
summers: one summer at a dairy bar, selling milk shakes, another, as a governess for a family
on Cape Cod. Nancy was active in the Melrose and Bridgewater, Massachusetts communities
where she played the clarinet in the school marching band, sang at school assemblies and in
church and community choirs along with her family members. Her strong Christian faith was
formed at home and in the churches she attended as a young person.
On December 25, 1952, Nancy and her family, along with their Aunt Hattie, packed up and
moved to Pasadena, California. On the drive west, they spent weeks sight-seeing in New York,
Washington DC, the Southwest and other places of interest. Once in CA, Nancy enrolled at
Pasadena City College where she studied Early Childhood Education. It was there on the steps
of the library where she met her first husband, Philip Louis Weber, when she (accidentally?)
dropped her books and Phil gallantly picked them up for her. Nancy and Phil shared a deep love
of music and exploring the outdoors: hiking, camping and skiing, often with Phil’s brother,
James Weber. Nancy and Phil married on July 30, 1955. Over the next 10 years, their 4 children
were born: Allan James, on October 5, 1956 (he died just 20 days later); Deborah Lee on July 6,
1960; Julie Ann on July 3, 1962; and Kathleen on October 4, 1965. Another highlight in her life
was singing in the choir at the Billy Graham Crusade in Los Angeles. Except for Phil’s 2 years of
service in the Army in Texas and Kansas, Phil and Nancy and family spent their first years in
Southern California where they enjoyed many weekends with family exploring Southern
California’s natural beauty or gathered around the dining room table at Reg and Hazel’s house
on Brigden Road. In 1971, Phil’s new job brought the family to San Jose, where Nancy also
found work with Santa Clara County’s Infant Toddler Center. Throughout the 1970s, Nancy
worked with the little ones there as a teacher, and then as a health aide. In late summer of
1975, Phil suffered a massive heart attack and subsequently died on September 27th. Always
resilient, Nancy kept the family going, managing both work and child rearing as a single parent,
in the midst of her loss. 3 years later, she met Richard C. Dusseau and on April 28, 1979, they
were married with her immediate and extended family in attendance. Nancy supported many
of Richard’s enterprises including his budding deep-sea fishing business, often joining him on
trips and assisting with fishing and crewing the boat. She loved being out on the ocean, seeing
whales, sea lions and dolphins and the beauty of the California coast. Richard, Nancy, Julie and
Kathy remained in the San Jose home until their 1984 move to a Tracy ranch where they raised
cattle, pigs, goats and chickens. Always flexible and willing to learn and do new things, Nancy
embraced the ranching life, often traveling with Richard to cattle conventions where she sold
her handmade craft items to raise money for their cattle association. In 1990, Nancy and
Richard left the ranch to live in Tracy proper where her home welcomed many family
gatherings and Kirwin family vacations. In the year 2000, Nancy and Richard separated, and
Nancy chose to give up her Tracy residence to divide her time between the homes of her 3
daughters. During this time, she was indispensable in the rearing of her 5 beloved grandsons:
Joshua Philip Kirwin, Caleb Thomas Kirwin, Joseph Edward Kirwin; Daniel Patrick Kirwin and
Logan Weber Krahenbuhl. Caring for “her boys” was a role that she was well prepared for and
cherished above all others. In 2007, Nancy moved to live with daughter, Julie, and Julie’s
husband, George Fletcher, on their Winnemucca, Nevada ranch. She loved the sparse, quiet
beauty of the high desert and its spectacular skies and sunsets. She was a great help on the
ranch, financially, as well as with cooking, cleaning and caring for the animals, and spending
time with George’s mom, Patti. It was a solitary life on the ranch, but she made friends with
everyone she met in town and at the church they attended, Christlife Family Ministries. In
2019, another unexpected death rocked Nancy’s world, when her dear daughter, Julie, passed
from this earth. Before his untimely death from COVID 2 years later, Son-in-Law, George, true
to Julie’s wishes, cared tirelessly for Nancy. In November 2021, Nancy was also hospitalized
with COVID and a broken hip. After some rehabilitation, she moved back to Tracy to live in the
Kirwin home where she was cared for by the Kindred Hospice team and her dear daughter,
Kathy. She spent her last days content and happy, surrounded by her loving family, watching
her favorite television shows and listening to her favorite hymns. She now resides in the arms
of her Savior, in comfort and rest.
Nancy Fairbanks Weber Dusseau is survived by her brother Richard Fairbanks and his wife,
Barbara of Baltimore, Maryland; sister-in-law Pauline Fairbanks of Pasadena, California;
daughter Deborah Weber and husband Marte Hall of San Jose, California; daughter Kathleen
Kirwin and husband Steven of Tracy, California; stepson Gary Dusseau of Michigan; grandson
Joshua Kirwin and wife Megan of Stockton, California; grandson Caleb Kirwin and wife Brittany
and son Gabriel of Rock Hill, South Carolina; grandson Joseph Kirwin of Tracy, California;
grandson Daniel Kirwin of Tracy, California; grandson Logan Krahenbuhl of Chico, California;
step-granddaughter Aeron Hall of South Lake Tahoe; step-granddaughter McKenzie Hall of
South Lake Tahoe; nephew James Weber and wife Linda and family of Prescott, Arizona;
nephew Robert Weber and wife Lonnie of Chino Hills, California; niece Crystal Florez and family
of Southern California; nephew Mark Weber of Southern California; nephew Jeffrey Fairbanks
and wife Marcie and family of Berryville, Virginia; and nephew Jonathan Fairbanks and wife
Kristie and family of Spotsylvania, Virginia.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Nancy on Saturday, May 7 at 1:00pm at Good Shepherd
Community Church at 306 West Eaton Avenue, Tracy, California 95376.

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