Obituary of RENEE DUSSEK

Renée Victoire Dussek was born October 27, 1929, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and passed into eternity on November 28, 2019, in New York City.  She was the third of seven daughters of Joseph Domerson and Julienne Dronette.  Renée was affectionately renamed “Grangy” by her first grandchild, Joelle, and the name was adopted by her family and close friends.

Renée’s first elementary school was owned and operated by her adoptive parents, Justin and Elvire Francois, with whom she lived until Elvire’s death during Renée’s late teenage years.  She also attended various additional educational institutions, including Sacré Coeur and École Normale, excelling in her studies, and received her baccalaureate degree.

While still completing her studies Renée performed in community theatre projects, where she met Andrée Gérard Dussek (aka “Papy”).  They married on September 24, 1953.

Renée and André’s life together began with a Number of challenges.  Renée worked at the Department of Finance, until she refused to greet military officers who visited her department following their successful junta. During an extended period of national political oppression, they were both banned from lawful employment.  They established their own pharmacy and dry-cleaning business.  André was later subjected to extra-judicial detention and torture.  When she was also being sought out she left her children in safety and went into hiding. Eventually she emigrated to the United States.

While preparing for her family to enter the United States, Renée worked as a personal chef and nanny to several families in Manhattan.  Following the arrival of her children, when the opportunity became available she applied for and was offered a position in Citibank’s Time Deposit department.  She was eventually promoted to assistant vice president.  Renée retired from Citibank in 1983.

In 1983 her real work was just beginning.  André was called into the ministry and founded a church, the House of Reconciliation, in Jamaica, Queens. Renée supported him and the congregation while he pastored. In addition to its extensive outreach in the local community, the church reached back to help Haitians, including L’ecole de Bon Berger in Bois Neuf, Haiti, by expanding an onsite nutrition program from 20 students to over 165 and from one to two meals each day. The church also financed teachers’ salaries at the school and separately funded the construction of a fresh water irrigation project covering ten acres of farmland also located in Bois Neuf.

She is survived by her four children Margaret dos Santos (Adelson), Dominique Dussek (Eunice), Danielle Dussek (Edward Delk) and Josy Dussek Dunne (Willie), ten grandchildren, two sisters Berninie Papp, Collett Gay and many nieces and nephewsollett Gay and many nieces and nephews.

Dear Family and Friends,

 Thank you for your prayers and words of support to our family. Some on you have asked about sending flowers. We invite you to make a donation to The Vassar Haiti Project in lieu of flowers.

 My mother appreciated the work that The Vassar Haiti Project conducts in Haiti. It is a non-profit organization that engages college students in a life-changing experiential education in global citizenship by promoting Haitian art and fostering sustainable development in Haiti. In addition to the purchase and sale of original Haitian art, the project has built a school and clinic in rural Haiti and supports them continuously for the past 19 years in addition to environmental and women's programs.  

If you would like to make a contribution, please click for the Vassar Haiti Project's page. Please click the "Write Us a Comment" box and put my mother's name, Renee Dussek and an acknowledgement will be sent to the family as well as a tax deductible letter to you for your records. 

https://thehaitiproject.org

Thank you for thinking of us during this time.