In Memory Of
David Michael Derousseau
1955
2021
David Michael Derousseau
July 6, 1955 — December 27, 2021
David Michael DeRousseau passed away Dec 27, 2021, in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 66. David was born on July 06, 1955, to Henry and Maxine Derusseau in Concordia, Kansas. He graduated from St Ann's Elementary School and Clyde High School in Clyde, Kansas. He received a BA degree from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and an Art and Environmental Education Masters Internship from Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio. He additionally earned a BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. He taught painting, drawing, and sculpture at KCAI, UMKC, and Maplewoods Community College. He traveled in Europe to study art and particularly loved the experiences that he had and the friends that he made in France. Because of the pride he had in his French heritage, David became fluent in both speaking and writing in French. While in France he studied the origins of his last name. Finding it to be DeRousseau he adopted that original spelling for himself.
As an accomplished artist in many mediums, painting was David's first love, and he devoted his painting career to the pursuit of capturing the essence of Kansas City. He created sculptures as well, both large and small, in bronze and reliefs. His work can be found in numerous private collections, in addition to gracing churches, cemeteries, parks, and other public spaces throughout Metropolitan KC, the Midwest, the Pacific Coast, and Europe. He excelled in landscape artistry, and he loved designing gardens that were inspiring and accessible to all.
David had a generous and loving heart. He sang and played guitar and piano to his delight and to the delight of all. He had a full and diverse life, for which he was always grateful, along with the experiences it presented. In his younger years as a member of a small community at a Catholic House of Prayer, Shantivanam, he transformed both the small chapel with his liturgical bronzes and the grounds with his sculptures and intimate landscaping. Most importantly, he developed there a deep and lasting personal spirituality. He loved simplicity, but he demonstrated complexity.
He was a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend. His nieces and nephews delighted in and will always remember his playfulness. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his father, Henry, his mother, Maxine, and his sisters, Carole Derusseau Farrell and Barbara Derusseau Kegle. He leaves many dear friends, his brother Dan Derusseau (Louise) and his sister Mary Derusseau Koch (Dennis) to love and remember him. He also leaves nieces and nephews to include Jenny Farrell Lykins (Tom), Becki Farrell Derusseau, Alisa Farrell Roth, Jeff Farrell (Julie), Kathy Farrell Hager (David) and Amanda Farrell Ramsey, Stephanie Kegle Morris (Toby), Jon Kegle, Amy Koch, Kristin Koch Anderson (Heath), Charlie Koch (Jenni), Brooke Easton Cutlan (Nate), Chris Derusseau (Stephanie), along with great and great-great nieces and nephews to remember, love and share stories about Uncle David.
A private memorial service is planned for a later date. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Clyde, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity to benefit those in need.
To leave a message of condolence for David's family or to share a special memory of David, please visit the guestbook below.
As an accomplished artist in many mediums, painting was David's first love, and he devoted his painting career to the pursuit of capturing the essence of Kansas City. He created sculptures as well, both large and small, in bronze and reliefs. His work can be found in numerous private collections, in addition to gracing churches, cemeteries, parks, and other public spaces throughout Metropolitan KC, the Midwest, the Pacific Coast, and Europe. He excelled in landscape artistry, and he loved designing gardens that were inspiring and accessible to all.
David had a generous and loving heart. He sang and played guitar and piano to his delight and to the delight of all. He had a full and diverse life, for which he was always grateful, along with the experiences it presented. In his younger years as a member of a small community at a Catholic House of Prayer, Shantivanam, he transformed both the small chapel with his liturgical bronzes and the grounds with his sculptures and intimate landscaping. Most importantly, he developed there a deep and lasting personal spirituality. He loved simplicity, but he demonstrated complexity.
He was a loving son, brother, uncle, and friend. His nieces and nephews delighted in and will always remember his playfulness. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his father, Henry, his mother, Maxine, and his sisters, Carole Derusseau Farrell and Barbara Derusseau Kegle. He leaves many dear friends, his brother Dan Derusseau (Louise) and his sister Mary Derusseau Koch (Dennis) to love and remember him. He also leaves nieces and nephews to include Jenny Farrell Lykins (Tom), Becki Farrell Derusseau, Alisa Farrell Roth, Jeff Farrell (Julie), Kathy Farrell Hager (David) and Amanda Farrell Ramsey, Stephanie Kegle Morris (Toby), Jon Kegle, Amy Koch, Kristin Koch Anderson (Heath), Charlie Koch (Jenni), Brooke Easton Cutlan (Nate), Chris Derusseau (Stephanie), along with great and great-great nieces and nephews to remember, love and share stories about Uncle David.
A private memorial service is planned for a later date. Burial will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, Clyde, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity to benefit those in need.
To leave a message of condolence for David's family or to share a special memory of David, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Michael Derousseau, please visit our flower store.
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