Claire Pellerin Schmidt

Claire Pellerin Schmidt born August 6, 1919 and passed away Saturday, January 28, 2017. Claire Pellerin Schmidt was a native of New Orleans, and a former educator lived most of her life in Ascension. She graduated from Dutchtown High School, and then matriculated to Louisiana State University to earn a B. S. degree and Masters plus 30 hours in Elementary and High School Education. She began her teaching career at Hackberry in Cameron Parish and then returned to Ascension to teach at her alma mater, Dutchtown High School, for 26 years (1946-73). At Dutchtown she taught third grade, High School English, and later served as a Guidance Counselor and a Pilot Reading Teacher. She moved to Prairieville Middle School and taught fourth grade for one year (1973-74); then ended her education career at St. James Episcopal Day School in East Baton Rouge Parish, where she returned to teaching fourth grade for 13 more years (1973-86). A talented musician who taught piano lessons, Mrs. Schmidt served as pianist and accompanist for the High School Chorus and for countless school programs during her tenure at Dutchtown High School. She was at the piano for carnival balls, graduation ceremonies, school fairs, community programs and weekly school assemblies. In addition to this, she was often the coordinator and choreographer for school dance routines and a 4-H Club volunteer who trained the Dutchtown Clubs in songs and yells for over 20 years. In 1948, the Ascension Parish School System received national recognition for School and Community Health and Nutrition Programs and Mrs. Schmidt presented a paper on the parish health program at the National Conference on Health at Harvard University. Mrs. Schmidt was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, and there she served as a member of the Ladies Altar Society and as church organist for over 10 years. In education she was affiliated with Tau Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a national honorary teacher's organization, serving as past chair. She was also an active member of the Louisiana and Ascension Retired Teachers Associations, and for many years served as a delegate to the national convention. An avid gardener, daylily enthusiast and hybridizer for over 20 years, she belonged to the Baton Rouge Garden Club, the Baton Rouge Daylily Society and the American Hemerocallis (Daylily) Society. Her other passion was playing bridge and through the years, she played with many neighborhood bridge groups and taught the game at the Ascension Council on Aging during her retirement years. Mrs. Schmidt was the daughter of the late Joseph Benjamin Pellerin and Celanie Babin Pellerin. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jacob Thomas Schmidt, her only child, Nita Claire Brown Simoneaux, a brother, Louis Armand Pellerin III and a sister, Mildred Mae Pellerin. She is survived by grandchildren and their spouses: Michael Brenden Simoneaux, Prairieville; Ron Paul and Dana Simoneaux, Gonzales; Christine "Tina" and Darren Didier, Denham Springs; and Blaine David and Rhonda Simoneaux, Plaquemine; six/seven great grandchildren: Chase Michael Mayers, Danielle Nicole Didier, Layne Sean Didier, Kristin Simoneaux Harmon, Matthew Paul Simoneaux and Lauren Michelle Simoneaux, Jacob Blaine Simoneaux, and a special niece: Chad Pellerin, New Orleans. Visitation will be in Ourso Funeral Home starting 5 to 9 pm Tuesday January 31st, and from 10 to noon Wednesday February 1st, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with her Mass of Christian Burial at noon, Fr. Jerry Martin will officiate. Burial will follow at Prairieville Community Cemetery under the direction of Ourso Funeral Home of Gonzales. Friends who may not be able to attend can leave words of condolences at www.oursofh.com.