Jean Marie Reutter

Jean Marie Reutter, 86, formerly of Newport, Washington passed away on Friday, April 11, 2014 at the Willard Walker Hospice House after a stoic year of fighting colon and liver cancer. Moving to Fayetteville to be near her daughter Terry Johnson proved to be a true blessing. The neighbors and Fayetteville Newcomers' Club walking ladies embraced her and admired her zest for life in spite of her illness. She felt their love and support and was grateful for their friendship. Jean was born on October 25, 1927 in Redwood Falls, Minn. to Vern Peter Larson and Dorothy Antoinette (Daskam) Larson. She and her brothers Jack and Donald were adopted by her Aunt Gertrude and Uncle Kenneth L. Daskam moving to Palisade, Minn. Always a strong athlete the neighbor kids called Jean "Dynamite Daskam" as she was a strong swimmer in the Mississippi River that bordered their property which connected at "the point" with the Big Willow. She was discovered by a talent scout in Duluth, MN and skated with the Ice Follies. In 1947 she married Robert Thomas Laythe and moved to the Seattle, Wash. area where they had two children: Joe Thomas and Terry Leigh. It was in Seattle where she sang and danced with the Gilbert and Sullivan Productions. Jean had a beautiful voice and could whistle like the birds in a Disney movie! Jean re-married in 1961. She and her husband Glen A. Reutter, formerly of Fairmont, Minn., moved to Kent, Wash. where they had an active outdoor life of deer and elk hunting and all types of fishing. It was always said that if Dad caught the biggest; Mom caught more or vice versa. Early in their retirement years they enjoyed "full-timing" with their RV for four years before building a home on the Pend O' Reille (Ponderay) River in Newport, Wash. There Jean grew fruit trees, grape vines, and a full garden. As a child of the Depression she always said she wouldn't grow anything she couldn't eat. She shared her bounty with her beloved River friends with whom they played Pinochle or Mexican-Train Dominoes every Friday night. Glen passed away on Feb. 17, 2011. Jean is survived in the Pacific Northwest by her son, Joe T. Reutter, his wife Marsha, and their sons: Jeremiah, and Theron, and his wife Shayna. In Fayetteville Jean is survived by her daughter, Terry Johnson and her husband Mike; grand-daughter Jessica (Johnson) Verrusio resides in Alexandria, Va. with her husband Fraser and great-grandchildren Hale and Katherine; grandson, Shawn Johnson and wife Halley.,. residing in Asheville, NC, are "expecting" Jean's third great-grandchild in August. "Grammy's" Pioneer Spirit was an inspiration to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed! A Memorial tribute will take place at a later date.