Obituary of Rene Dussault

Rene Dussault passed away on Friday, June 18, 2021, from a heart attack while doing one of his favorite activities, fishing.

Rene was born on November 20, 1949 in Schenectady, New York to Rene and Evelyn Dussault. He was one of five siblings - Marianne, Susan, Adrienne, and Thomas. After a childhood filled with pranks, such as trying to paint his basement floor with his socks, he attended university at SUNY Brockport. As he liked to tell his family repeatedly, he was a math major. He used these skills to become a gifted coder and program developer for various companies, including IBM, WindSong, Maersk, and DAMCO.

Rene built a relationship with God in his twenties and was a devout Christian, finding a church home at Grace Church in New York City. He lived by Jesus’ example through his deep involvement in church leadership, his acts of service (such as helping found one of New York City’s first homeless shelters for men), and his spirited debate as a Bible Study leader. After moving to New Jersey, he found two more church homes at Mount Fern in Randolph, and Hilltop Church in Mendham. He continued to share his passion for the social justice teachings of Jesus until his very last day.

Rene’s other passions included the theater (both attending and acting), singing in the choir, gardening, fishing, reading fantasy books, and watching 76ers games with his son, Alexandre. Many people called Rene their friend - his Grace Church crew, his Mt. Fern, ACT Now, and Hilltop families, his poker buddies, the group nicknamed “The Cult”, and many others.

Most importantly, Rene was a dedicated and loving husband and father. He met his wife of 31 years, Jennifer Dussault, at Grace Church and they practiced a marriage based on love, loyalty, and companionship. They shared many adventures, including a honeymoon in France, summers at Civitella Ranieri in Italy, road trips through Nova Scotia and Ireland, and a boat cruise in Eastern Europe. At home, they enjoyed watching Netflix, going on walks and day trips, and eating dinner on their porch or out on the town. His two children, Nicole and Alexandre, were his pride and joy. He spent many hours with them during their childhood playing baseball and basketball, going on bike rides, playing board games (and cheating at Pictionary with Nicole), editing their homework, telling them riddles, and imparting his vast wisdom. His guidance, laughter, and love will be much missed by his family and friends alike.

Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, June 22nd at 4 pm in the Hilltop Church Sanctuary (20 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ)
   Live Stream Link: https://youtu.be/8F8Q5NOCKok 

Family will gather with friends and will host a light reception immediately following the service from 5 pm - 7 pm at the Hilltop House (14 Hilltop Road, Mendham, NJ)

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rene's memory can be made to:

ACT Now Youth Fellowship

P.O. Box 189

Ironia, NJ 07845

https://www.actnowyouth.org/donate

or

Family Promise of Morris County

P.O. Box 1494

Morristown, NJ 07960

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/family-promise-of-morris-county-inc