Laurence E. Cloutier

Laurence (Larry) Cloutier (Lt., USN/USNR (Ret.)) of Elkhart entered into the presence of the Lord Monday evening at the age of 93. Larry was happily married to Elizabeth Ann (May) Cloutier for 70 years, and lived most recently at Hubbard Hill Retirement Community in Elkhart.

Larry was born on September 12, 1921 to George Cloutier and Clemence Beauchamp in Flint, Michigan. He graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1939. Larry entered into the United States Navy Flight Officers’ Training Corps, and was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy. He earned his naval aviator wings in 1944. His leadership and skills as a pilot led to him being selected as a flight instructor, and he attended the Naval College for Primary Flight Instructors in New Orleans, LA in 1945. Larry continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 1981. After his active duty military service, Larry became an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration and worked in the Air Route Traffic Control Centers in Detroit and then Aurora, Illinois. He retired from his duties as an air traffic controller in 1974, after 31 years of service to the people of the United States.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Ben (Ruth) Cloutier and Ray (Mabel) Cloutier, sisters Marguerite Northup (Floyd) and Catherine Holko (George), and son Michael Cloutier. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Ann, brother Ed Cloutier (Lucy), daughter Ann Marie (Tom) Ryan, sons David (MaryLu) Cloutier, Paul Cloutier, Mark Cloutier, and Tim Cloutier, 12 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, June 6 at 11:00am at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, 411 W. Vistula Street, Bristol, IN 46507, where visitation will be from 10:00 am until the service. Interment will be at at 1 pm Tuesday, June 9th at Oakwood Catholic Cemetery, Traverse City, MI.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Catholic Charities of Fort Wayne-South Bend, 1817 Miami St., South Bend, IN 46613.
Online condolences may be sent to www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com.