Rebecca Dusenbery

Rebecca Ruth Dusenbery (Becky)

Rebecca Ruth Dusenbery (Becky), age 77, passed away September 28th, 2024, after years of living with Lewy Body Dementia. Becky was born March 9th, 1947, in Schenectady, New York. The second child of Arnold and Dorthea Wessler, Becky was a smart, creative and industrious youngster with many interests, including crafts, poetry and sewing. When she was just a few years old, Becky moved with her family to Crystal Lake, Illinois, and in 1953, moved again to St. Louis, where she grew up with her older brother, John and younger brother, Marty. Her father Arnold worked in multiple positions in the Lutheran ministry, from Editor of the St. Louis Lutheran newspaper to Concordia Publishing House. Sadly, Becky's mother, Dorthea died unexpectedly when Becky was just a teenager. After some time, her father remarried, and soon two new sons joined the family, Steve and Peter. All throughout her life people would comment on how "tough" Becky was, an attribute likely gained from being the only girl in a family with four boys.

In 1968 she graduated from Lutheran Hospital Nursing School, and in 1969 married Dennis Dusenbery, a Seminary student at nearby Concordia College. Soon, they began a family, welcoming son, Geoffrey in 1971, daughter, Jill in 1973 and finally Timothy in 1975. The family settled in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and Becky began working at Hardin Memorial Hospital. A change in jobs for Dennis had the family moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1979, with Becky resuming her Nursing career at St. Joseph's Hospital, where she would work in the ICU for nearly 30 years. Throughout her life, Becky helped others before herself, and she loved sharing her time and talents with everyone around her. In addition to Nursing, she loved knitting, often making beautiful Afghan blankets for family and friends. She volunteered her time to her church, providing communion services to church members who could not attend in person. She was a Girl Scout Leader to daughter Jill's troop, helping organize activities and trips to places such as California (and of course, sell cookies). She would host baking parties with her nursing friends, showing them how to make her famous cinnamon rolls or Christmas cookies. As a mother, she was kind and caring, sharing her love for her children in ways large and small.

She leaves behind her children, Geoff Dusenbery, Jill Dusenbery and Tim Dusenbery, all of whom treasured her beyond words, and her brothers, Martin Wessler, Stephen Wessler and Peter Wessler. She was preceded in death by her older brother, John Wessler.

A Memorial Service for Becky will be held on Friday, October 25th, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1100 Indian School Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association in Becky's name:

https://www.alz.org/.

Please visit our online guestbook for Becky at

www.FrenchFunerals.com.