David "Bob" Rousseau, 83, Passes Away
David Rousseau, 83, passed away on February 3, 2004, at the Covenant Healthcare Center in Saginaw, Michigan.
Rousseau, known by his friends as “Bob,” was born into a harness racing family and owned Standardbreds all his life. His father and grandfather were also trainers and drivers. Rousseau kept a few horses in training during most of his adult life and drove occasionally at the county fairs. He was particularly fond of the very competitive pacer, Perspective, who he owned and raced to 42 pari-mutuel wins in the 1990s.
Rousseau especially enjoyed county fair racing and he served for over one decade as president and secretary of the Northern Michigan Fair Association and acted as presiding judge at many fairs and continued to judge -- even this past summer.
Rousseau’s son, David, is training his father’s four horses at the Shelby County Fairgrounds in Shelbyville, Indiana. He said, “Dad’s best horse might well be a 2-year-old by Browning Blue Chip that I’m training right now.” Rousseau was very close to his brother, Jim, with whom he raced several horses in partnership.
“His horses are really what kept him going the last few years,” said his daughter, Margaret. “That’s really about all he talked about. He never quit planning for a future in racing. His favorite mare, Stellar Student, p,1:56, is carrying her first foal by Cam’s Magic Trick.”
Rousseau was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, in 1999. He is survived by his three daughters, Margaret, Mary Ann, and Barbara, and his two sons, Charles and David. He was also survived by 14 grandchildren and leaves a very dear friend, Ruth Berry. Cards may be sent to his daughter, Margaret Rousseau, at: 2230 South Dye Road, Flint, MI 48523 or his son, David Rousseau, at: 3769 N. Co. Rd. 520 W., St. Paul, IN 47272