Nettie Champion Dumais

Nettie Champion Dumais, born Clara Annette Schwartz

Loving Mother, Grandmother & Great-Grandmother, Faithful Friend and Tireless Giver

3/10/1937 – 6/7/2025

With heavy hearts and deep gratitude for a life beautifully lived, we announce the passing of Nettie Dumais, who went home to God on June 7, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. She was 88 blessed years old.

Nettie is survived by her two daughters, Christina (Christy) M. Sisk and Rebecca (Becky) S. Champion; two step-daughters, Diane Dumais (Henry Gordon) and Denise Dumais (George Johnston); two grandsons, John Sisk and Andrew (Andy) Sisk; great-granddaughter, Autumn Sisk; brother, Frederick G. Schwartz (Carolyn); nieces, Cynthia Busenlehner, Terry DeLille (David) and Sherry Dillon; and nephew, Matthew Busenlehner, and several great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great nieces and nephew.

Nettie was preceded in death by her parents, Fredrick J. Schwartz and Mildred F. Benes Schwartz; her first husband, George Moore Champion Jr.; her late husband, Bernard G. Dumais; her son, George Moore Champion III; her sister, Suzanne Schwartz Busenlehner and step-son, Mark Dumais. She also leaves behind many friends and extended family members, all of whom were touched by her grace and generosity.

Nettie was born on March 10, 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri. She was raised in the St. Louis/Webster Groves, Mo. area in a family where kindness and fairness were not just values, but a way of life. From her earliest years, Nettie carried a strength and an open heart. She had a gentle soul, a nurturing spirit and an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen, loved and cared for. She had a truly deep faith that was unshakeable and put God before everything else.

In the 1950s, Nettie and her family moved to Atlanta. She graduated from Avondale High School where she was voted Most Likely to Succeed. In 1961, she settled in Augusta, Georgia.

She devoted her life to helping others, even if it was a small act of kindness when someone needed it most. She could keep the deepest secrets and never sought recognition – always focusing on lifting others up. Her door was always open, her table always had room for one more and her hands were rarely still. If anyone in the family was involved in anything, be it sports, theatre, music, etc., she was right there – either supporting or joining right in. She was the hostess with the mostest!

One of Nettie’s greatest joys was her family. As a mother, she poured herself into raising her children with love, faith and wisdom (which she never failed to give). She celebrated their joys, held them through their sorrows and taught them, by her own beautiful example, the importance of compassion, humility and resilience. Her grandchildren and great-grandchild, too, knew the comfort of her embrace and the warmth of her unconditional love. She loved to reminisce and dove into genealogy research with both feet.

She loved her brother and sister, Fred (Bud) and Suzy so much. She was always telling us how she had Bud’s back and he had hers (and she never let us forget she was older than them!). She reminisced a LOT about their wonderful childhood years, which she recalled with vivid details. And we were told repeatedly how she had the best sister-in-law she could have asked for!

Nettie was always working – sometimes 2 or 3 jobs. She retired in 2024 from Jim Courson Realty, where she was a realtor, bookkeeper and property manager for 35 years. Prior to that, she worked at Aquinas High School, Augusta Mall, Noel Schweers Realty, the Gordon-Augusta Golf Course, Annis Pest Control, St. Mary’s Elementary School, and Baywood (employment services - a joint venture with Bud & Carolyn), among others.

Nettie was extremely creative, always willing to try anything crafty. Her latest “obsession” was working on miniatures with a group called NAME (National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts). She also created works of art in quilting, scrapbooking, pastels, furniture “antiquing”, re-upholstering, crocheting shawls, and the list goes on.

She was a gifted seamstress who sewed clothes for her daughters and herself as well as doll clothes.

She had a servant's heart and led by example. From being involved in her children's schools to participating in church groups Nettie was a yard mother, worked in the school office, taught CCD classes, led cub scout groups, member of the Theresians, Parish Council of Catholic Women, Deanery Council of Catholic Women, church office, sang in the Folk Choir, and sewed costumes for high school plays. She even made a nun’s costume from a pattern she obtained from the convent for her daughter Becky when she was 4-5 years old, complete with wimple. She then walked her up to the convent for their approval!

She was a member of the Savannah River Sail and Power Squadron, even serving as commander, but never owned a boat! Nettie would go on many boat trips with Bud and Carolyn, learning water venues and enjoying the boating life.

She was an ardent collector of, well, just about anything she thought was pretty. As one cousin said, “you can look just about anywhere in her house multiple times and always see something different!”.

Her favorite phrase when things went wrong was, “We do what we need to do, with as much style and grace as possible!” (She said the “as possible” was a caveat for when style and grace were not called for…). She also LOVED chocolate!! She would tell us, “Chocolate is brain food – it makes you smarter!” (and she wouldn’t lie to us…)

A special thanks to John McCormack and Jeff Ryan for continuously bringing Nettie communion when she couldn’t make it to mass.

Her life will be celebrated with a visitation on Thursday, June 12, 2025 from 4-6 pm. at Thomas Poteet and Son Funeral Directors.  The funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, June 13, 2025 at 11:00 am at St. Mary’s on the Hill Church, followed by interment at Westover Memorial Park. 

In lieu of flowers, her family invites donations to be made in Nettie’s name to Aquinas High School, 1920 Highland Avenue, Augusta, Ga 30904.

Nettie lived simply, loved deeply and gave endlessly. Though she is no longer with us in body, her legacy of love and kindness will live on in every life she touched.

“Do small things with great love.”

-Mother Teresa