Louise Chausse

This week I was looking through some items that we found when we were cleaning out Mom's house a few years ago. Mom had saved a letter that was written by Louise Chausse, and I enjoyed reading it and remembering Mrs. Chausse.

Around 1924 when she was Louise "Martin" and attending Raymond Community High, Mrs. Chausse boarded with my great-grandparents, Archibald and Jenny McCallum. She went on to Blackburn College and then taught at Ware's Grove before becoming a teacher in Raymond. She later married Veryl Chausse who taught fifth and sixth grade. It's interesting to note that when Veryl was only six months old, he became critically ill with diphtheria and was the first individual in the area to be given the new antitoxin for the disease. He responded and improved immediately.

After she got married, Mrs. Chausse resigned to become a homemaker, but was later asked to return and teach primary school in Harvel. Back then, kids from Raymond attended first and second grade in Harvel, and she was my second grade teacher in 1971. I have many fond memories of her, but one thing that stands out in particular is the hours that she spent reading Beverly Cleary's books to us. I always thought that I was the teacher's pet, however, I'm sure all of her students thought that because she had a way of making everyone feel special.

The Chausses' lived on a farm south of Raymond, and following second grade, Mrs. Chausse and I became pen pals. I would write long letters to her on fancy stationery and then wait anxiously for her to write back to me. She always did.

In 1979, Veryl and Louise left the farm and moved next door to Hough Funeral Home. Veryl died on November 4, 1990 and Mrs. Chausse continued to live there until her death on March 10, 2010. Mom used to tell me that she would always look out the kitchen window to see if Louise's porch light was on.

I'll post the letter below. Those of you who had the pleasure of knowing Mrs. Chausse will hear her voice and think of her smile when you read this.