Obituary of Deborah Ann Earthman

Deborah Ann Earthman was born on May 31, 1948 in Washington DC. She died at home on Sunday, February 4, 2024 after complications from an illness. She was 75 years old.

Deborah was born into an Air Force family; in her younger years she had the opportunity to live and travel around the United States and the wider world, including living in Italy and England as a child, and returning from England on the SS United States, which she  fondly remembered as a very fun trip, especially as she learned how to swim in the ship’s pool.

Deborah attended high school at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas where she was a cheerleader, completing her secondary school education at Greenbrier College in WestVirginia. She then attended SMU in Dallas, Texas, for two years, where she pledged Phi Beta Phi sorority, transferring to the University of Texas in Austin, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education. Following her student teaching, Deborah earned a Masters Degree in art therapy from the University of Houston.

After her educational endeavors, Deborah found the job that meant so much to her, at the Art Institute of Houston, where she worked for many years and made many enduring friendships.

Deborah’s colleagues at the Art Institute recall that Deborah was not only a treasured friend, she was a joy to work with, nurturing and guiding the students in her care with her great listening skills, boundless generosity, clear thinking and common sense.

Deborah had a lifelong love affair with art, and all things art-related, with a real eye for color and design, and was a talented artist herself. She was blessed to find a fellow art lover in her beloved husband, Jack Earthman, and worked with him in his architectural practice, handling much of the interior designing for the buildings he worked on. They were fortunate in being able to travel extensively, visiting many different countries, thoroughly enjoying every art museum they encountered along the way.

Deborah was a champion swimmer in her youth, participating in many swim competitions, while living on various Air Force bases (she never lost a breaststroke race). She was a lifelong Texas Longhorns fan and an avid follower of the Houston Rockets and the Houston Astros. She also loved Coca Cola.

Deborah’s real passion though was for her family, friends and her standard poodles. If you were lucky enough to be a friend or relative of Deborah’s she never forgot you, you always received a kind remembrance from her, lovingly wrapped, every year on your special day. She was a devoted stepmother, aunt, grandmother and sister. Her love was unlimited.

The Dusard family would like to express their profound gratitude to Deborah’s husband, Jack Earthman, for his care, kindness and love for our sister, especially in her final months.

Deborah was preceded in death by her father, Major General Leo F. Dusard, Jr. and her mother Beatrice Ann Dusard, of San Antonio, Texas.            

Deborah is survived by her devoted spouse, Jack Earthman of Houston, Texas; her stepchildren, John Earthman and his wife Marguerite of Nome, Alaska, Stephen Earthman and his partner Raina Bajpai of Brooklyn, New York and Sharon Beach and her husband Scott of Knoxville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Ava, Tyson and Carl; her brother Leo F Dusard, III and his wife Erin of Wilmington, North Carolina and her two children Spencer and Oliver; her sister Joan Dusard of West Hartford, Connecticut, her brother Christopher Dusard and his wife, Patty of Phoenix, Arizona; her nephew, Matthew Dusard and his wife Jasmine and their son Leo of Redondo Beach, California and her niece, Lindsay Dusard of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A private funeral service will be held on February 14, 2024 at 10 a.m. at Joseph J. Earthman Generations. The family will gather for an interment at a later date. In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in her name be directed to the American Kidney Fund or Big Brothers/Big Sisters or the charity of your choice.