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Leo Edward Schutte Jr.

3/15/1933 - 1/21/2025

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Obituary For Leo Edward Schutte Jr.

Virginia Beach- It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Leo Edward Schutte Jr., age 91, on January 21, 2025. Born in Richmond, VA, in 1933, Leo moved to New Haven, Connecticut, at the age of three after the death of his father, where he spent his formative years with his mother and extended Irish Catholic family.

Leo attended William & Mary, where he ran cross country, captaining the team his senior year with a highlight win against Virginia Polytechnic Institute in the mile with a time of 4:31. Following a brief two-year stint in the Army—including a creative escape from Alaskan ski patrol duties when he landed an office job with false typing prowess—Leo returned to civilian life and married his wife, Alexandrine “Al” Schutte. Together, they built a life filled with love and thousands of Sunday family antagonisms, um, dinners.

Leo dedicated 40 years to a career as a high school history teacher, while also serving for many of those years as a track and cross-country coach, soccer coach, and Boy Scout leader. During summers, he worked as a house painter—all this while helping raise his family of three children.

He will be fondly remembered as a lifelong learner and avid reader, a kind and gentle soul deeply devoted to his family, and as a top-level "exercise junkie." He practically ran six miles a day, five days a week, for decades (two knee replacements), took up long-distance biking (one broken elbow), earned a medal in cycling (Senior Olympics), and experienced one memorable night rescue from the Dismal Swamp Bike Trail (thank you Find Friends App). Not content to dominate land, Leo turned his attention to water. He kayaked well into his 70s, surviving at least one near-drowning, only reluctantly shared with family months later.

Though generally a quiet introvert, Leo had a subtly subversive streak as well—like sponsoring a high school homecoming "Apathy" float featuring an empty trailer and in the last few years inviting a former New York lawyer and atheist to Focus on Faith classes to keep things interesting.

Despite his active pursuits and occasional quiet rebuttals to authority, Leo was happiest in the company of his family, a good book in hand, or simply enjoying the quiet moments of life.

He is survived by his two sons, Leo Schutte III and James Schutte, their wives Lucia Coale and Susan Schutte, his daughter Kathryn Sofich and her husband Rodney Sofich, and four grandchildren—Harper, Griffin, Luke, and Lily Schutte. A private memorial service will be held by the family.

Simply Cremation is assisting Leo’s family. Please share memories and express condolences at SimplyCremationOnline.com.

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Condolences

  • 01/29/2025

    Ellen Stott

    Leo was such an avid reader. I loved to tease him about his reading of huge tomes, like "War and Peace". Ellen Stott, fellow resident at Westminster Canterbury

  • 01/28/2025

    Stuart Gordon

    I have had the deepest honor and pleasure to have known Leo for more than 15 years and more importantly to have been his friend. Never did he mention his past except to be proud of teaching. I often found him quietly reading and we would enjoy long discussions ranging from politics to religion. I will miss him. Stuart Gordon

  • 01/26/2025

    Mike Connolly

    It was an honor and a pleasure to teach with Leo. He was a professional and a gentleman and he left a legacy at Great Bridge. My condolences to his family. Mike Connolly

  • 01/23/2025

    Scott Morlock

    Jimmy, sounds like your father was quite the character. Maybe that is where you get your outgoing personality from. I am sorry for your families loss. My father passed 10 years ago and I still miss him. Hopefully time will help and when you bring up his antics of the past your family will all laugh and not cry. Scott Morlock

  • 01/22/2025

    Patrick Wheaton

    Ed, Jimmy, and Kathryn, When we leave home, we often get disconnected from those we knew. As a member of Prince of Peace and a student at GBHS, as a classmate of Ed, I knew your dad and mom. But it may be 40 years since I talked to them. Your dad had a quiet grace, but he also had a mischievous smile and twinkle in his eye. Nothing but good memories of him. May your moments of loss be eased with the memories of his adventures and his love for his family. Pat Wheaton

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