Danielle Marie Duquette

In the still, dark hours of January 4, 2022, Danielle Marie Duquette slipped away to be with her Lord and Savior and was at last, at peace. She studied her Bible devotedly every day and had deep beliefs and a strong faith. In addition to church, she enjoyed Christian music and books and attended many religious concerts and gatherings.

Her story began on December 12, 1968 in Wichita, Kansas. Born with a tooth, she would continue to be distinctive and exceptional her whole life. She moved permanently to California before she was two years old and completed all her education there. She loved learning and as a child, her favorite pastime was playing school. She learned to spell with phonics when she was only four and was a voracious reader her whole life. Not only was she a talented student, she was a sports standout in every school she attended. She could run like the wind and excelled in track, was captain of the volleyball team, and was an MVP on the All-Star baseball team. She was a cheerleader in high school.

But Danielle was more than just intelligent and athletic; she was empathetic and perceptive as well and was always a champion of the underdog and a friend to the friendless. She had a quirky sense of humor, spontaneous laughter, and her own vocabulary. Others would say their foot fell asleep, she said her foot was sparkling! She was fearless and unafraid to face any challenge. She participated in competition roller figure skating and if she fell attempting a leap or turn remained undaunted, got up, and continued her program.

Always generous and giving, she gathered people to her all her life and was loved by many. While she had difficulty seeing extraordinary qualities in herself, the gift she had was making others feel special and valued and good about themselves. Her love and understanding of those she encountered and her caring nature, led her to pursue a career in nursing. She attended colleges in Sacramento and Idaho, then graduated from San Mateo School of Nursing with high honors and was on the National Deans List as well.

As a nurse, Danielle preferred working in skilled nursing facilities rather than hospitals. She wanted her patients to experience the human touch of a caring hand and not treated as just data in a computer. It was her belief that personal interaction was truly the definition of nursing. Many of her patients expressed to her how great a difference she made in their lives with her kindness, patience, and dedication to their well-being.

She was preceded in death by her father Charles Duquette and her stepfather John Ruch. She is survived by her brother Michael Duquette (DeAnn), sister Gina Duquette (Pete Schroeder), mother Marilyn Ruch, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

No matter how many challenges or defeats she faced, she always had the courage and faith to stand back up and try again. She is missed so much by we who are left behind but know that Heaven is a richer place with her in it.