Marion Jean Chute

Marion Jean Chute died at the age of 93. She was born Nov. 16, 1901 in Springfield Mass., and was raised in Holyoke, Mass. She studied American history and music at Mount Holyoke College, graduated in 1922 and became a teacher. Her first position was teaching music at a reform school for girls in Indiana.
From 1924 to 1933, she served as a missionary in India. She taught music in the city of Ahmadnegar and was active in social work, language study and translation.
She married Gordon Chute on Oct. 16, 1928, in Bombay, India. The couple left India in 1933 and livwd in Canada, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts until moving to Eugene in 1971.
Chute sang in the church choir, taught Sunday School and served on numerous church boards and committees. A member of the First Congregational Church in Eugene she received the Ruben H. Huenemann Award for Christian Leadership from the Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ. She continued to schedule volunteers from the church for the family soup kitchen until the time of her death.
Working for international understanding, peace and social justice was a major part of her life. She helped resettle refugees after World War II, sought fair treatment of migrant workers and took international students into her home.
Chute joined Clergy and Laity Concerned during the Vietnam War and served as its treasurer for nine years. She also was involved in the Interchurch Sanctuary Network, Interchurch Seminars, Church Women United and the Eugene-Springfield Homeless Action Coalition.
She was a avid reader, a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast and an amateur naturalist. She enjoyed her family history, writing letters, poetry and autobiographical sketches.

--obituary from the Eugene Register-Guard - Sept. 26, 1995