Rita Lorraine Mouton Schutte

She was born October 10, 1931, in Lafayette, LA. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles A. Schutte, Sr., parents, Oscar J. Mouton Sr. and Ondine Bourgeois Mouton; a daughter, Catherine Marie Schutte; an infant son, Richard P. Schutte; an infant great-granddaughter, Kathryn Rebecca Schutte, and an infant great-grandson, Luke Landis Esecson; three brothers - Charles A. Mouton, Oscar J. Mouton, Jr. and John Vincent Mouton; and three sisters- Cecile Mouton Gaubert, Mildred Mouton Labbe and Doris Mouton Guidry.

She is survived by her children and their spouses: Charles A. Schutte, Jr. (Jeannine), Dr. Michael J. Schutte (Mary Jo), Dr. John P. Schutte (Mary), Dr. Robert J. Schutte (Micheline), Joan S. McAuliffe, Mary Anne S. Toledano (Chuck) and an adopted grandson, Michael. Lorraine is survived by 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Lorraine attended Central School in Lafayette for two years and transferred to Mt. Carmel for third grade and she graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1948. She then attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI), now UL at Lafayette. After completing secretarial courses, she worked in the office at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Lafayette.

She met her husband at SLI in the fall of 1949, and they were married November 22, 1951. She was a very busy and devoted stay at home wife and mother. She was always there for any child that needed her and had a knack for knowing the one who needed her the most.

Lorraine was a devout Catholic who was dedicated to and active in St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church. Her favorite activities included the Propagation of the Faith and Pre- School of Religion. Her older children helped her on Sunday mornings with the small children. She was an excellent seamstress and worked for bridal shops, but she always managed to find time to sew many of the girls’ dresses, curtains, reupholster furniture, and alter clothing.

The Homemaker’s Club was an outside activity she enjoyed. Lorraine was an excellent cook. Everyone had a favorite dish and she always had enough to feed any guests who often showed up for meals. She was into healthy meals before it became popular, and her meals always included seasonal vegetables from the family garden. She was a true Homemaker.

In 1985, Lorraine and Charles moved to Baton Rouge where she became an active member of St. Aloysious Parish and assisted with religious education and a Catholic nursing home ministry. In her later years, Lorraine became interested in her roots in Cajun/Acadian Culture and Music. She and Charles attended four of the Congrès Mondial held every five years, one in Louisiana, two in New Brunswick, Canada and one in Nova Scotia, Canada. She was also active in the East Baton Rouge Republican Women’s Club.

The family wishes to thank her care givers - Melanie Barze, Kerwanda Tobin, and Haylie Hansberry. Sincere thanks to her neighbors for their help, care, and concern for both Lorraine and Charles over the years.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Andrew, Michael, Ryan, Stephen, and Nicholas Schutte, and Justin McAuliffe. She will be waked on Thursday, June 20, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2025 Stuart Avenue, at 9:30 AM followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. A graveside service will be held at Mary Mother of God Cemetery in Lafayette, LA. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Aloysius Catholic Church.