Jay Henry Schutter, 101, of Peoria, formerly of Rock Island, died Monday, April 10, 2023 at Bickford of Peoria.  A private family graveside service took place at Memorial Park Cemetery, Rock Island, where military honors were presented.  Memorials in care of the Penguin Project Foundation, 306 W. Morningside Drive, Peoria, IL 61614 or The Autism Collective, 507 E. Armstrong Avenue, Peoria, IL 61603.  Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, Rock Island, assisted the family.

Jay was born in Moline, Illinois on May 1, 1921, a son of Henry Ludwig and Adelaide Natalia Rochau Schutter.  He graduated from Rock Island High School in 1939.  He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1943.  His degree was in mechanical engineering.  He belonged to Theta Chi Fraternity.

Jay married Lois Marie Miller in Davenport, Iowa on March 26, 1949.  She preceded him in death on August 29, 2007.

Jay was a U.S. Army veteran who served during WWII as a second lieutenant in the Intelligence Department, Washington D.C.  He also served as a Signal Corp Instructor in Denver, Colorado during the Korean War.

Jay retired in 1984 from the Corp of Engineers at the Rock Island Arsenal.  He formerly worked at Tri-City Blueprint Company, Moline, Illinois until 1962.

Jay lived most of his life in Rock Island, Illinois.  He and Lois moved to Sun City West, Arizona in 1985.  In 2000 they moved to Peoria, Illinois.  Jay lived at the Bickford House in Peoria for the last ten years.

Survivors include his daughter, Jane (Charlie) Sieck; son, Kenneth (Kristin Keller) Schutter; six grandchildren, Jason (Diana) Blankenship, Dan Blankenship, Richard (Allison) Sieck, Kyle Schutter, Laura (Francis) Atemo and Timothy (Natasha) Schutter; and four-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, sister, Janice Bleuer and brother-in-law, Keith Bleuer.

Online condolences at wheelanpressly.com

The Autism Collective
507 E. Armstrong Avenue, Peoria IL 61603
Tel: 1-844-910-0770
Email: info@theautismcollective.org
Web: https://theautismcollective.org/

The Penguin Project Foundation
306 W. Morningside Drive, Peoria IL 61614
Tel: 1-888-543-8002
Email: info@penguinproject.org
Web: https://penguinproject.org/contact-us/