SOUTH PARIS – Ruth Marie Cloutier passed away peacefully on April 1, 2021, at the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris. She was born on Aug. 17, 1944, the daughter and only child of Julien and Carmen (nee Morin) Cloutier.

With her signature wit and sense of humor, one can’t help wonder if passing on April Fools Day was her final earthly joke. She was afflicted for many years with multiple sclerosis which slowly robbed her of the use of her body. In spite of these devastating losses, she retained her sparkle and joie de vivre until the end. She was a devout Catholic who was baptized in the St. Louis Church. She attended St. Dominic’s High School and graduated from St. Joseph’s College with degrees in French and education. She spent several years teaching high school French and later joined the army. She was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky where she was a Flight Operations coordinator. A comment from her supervisor describes her perfectly: “Her appearance and military bearing are of the envy of her peers and a source of pride for her supervisors.”

After discharge from the army, she worked for several years for the Social Security Administration in Portland. Later in life, she lived with and cared for her mother who was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease, keeping her at home for as long as she possibly could. As her own health suffered due to her M.S, she became a resident of the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris in 2003. At the Veterans Home, she not only received exceptional care, but was treated like a beloved family member. She was a formidable contestant at the weekly trivia games and one of her favorite past times was to sit out in the sun on a warm day. She was a source of sunshine for all those around her.

She is survived by Louise and Tyson Reisfelder, the daughter of her cousin, Ronaldo LeBlonde and Louise’s two children, Jillian and Caleb.

Visitation will be held at the Albert and Burpee Funeral Home, on Friday, April 9, from 9 – 10:30 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Family Church at 11 a.m. Interment in the Spring, Mount Hope Cemetery. Condolences may be accessed online at http://www.albert-burpee.com .

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