Raymond “R.A.” Andrew DeSutter II, 88, West Lafayette, passed away quietly at Westminster Village in West Lafayette, with his wife, son and daughter by his side, on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024, at 5:30 a.m.
R.A. was born Sept. 30, 1935, in Lafayette. He was the son of the late Raymond A. and Mildred P. (Campbell) DeSutter. He grew up in Attica and was the salutatorian of the Attica High School Class of 1953. In his youth he spent many summer days on his grandparents’ farm near Hillsboro. His grandfather Campbell was vision-impaired, so R.A. helped plant the crops under his guidance. This is where he learned to love farming. He also spent as many hours in the woods with his lifelong friend, Gale Helms, as he could, honing their marksmanship and trust in one another.
After graduation, and with strong encouragement from his father, he attended the University of Notre Dame, graduating magna cum laude in 1957. While at Notre Dame he played the baritone in the marching band and sang in the glee club. He also roomed, and became lifelong friends with, Dick Cunningham of Albany, New York.
Two weeks after graduating from Notre Dame, R.A. became a Trappist Monk at the Our Lady of Gethsemani Monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky. He spent most of his six years there working in the garden, which provided the food for the monastery. Here, he also met another lifelong friend, Pete Deegan of Port Huron, Michigan. Among other exploits, the two of them “expropriated” food from the monastery pantry and made clandestine deliveries to families in need in the hills and hollers surrounding the monastery. While there, he also studied under the famous Catholic Philosopher, Thomas Merton, who had a major impact on his spiritual and intellectual growth.
In 1963, R.A. left the monastery to pursue his true passion, farming. He first worked with his Uncle Lawrence and cousin Larry, who was more like a brother. Later he partnered with his brother-in-law Ray McGraw.
On June 6, 1966, he married the love of his life, Lynn Sells in Lafayette, and she survives. They had two children, Dan (Barbie)DeSutter of Attica and Ann DeSutter of Longmont, Colorado. Lynn and R.A. enjoyed exploring the world together with trips to Africa, Ireland, Greece, Turkey, Mexico and throughout the USA. They also enjoyed family and wonderful friends from their faith community at St. Tom’s in West Lafayette.
Through St. Tom’s, R.A. got involved with mission work in Haiti. He made several trips mostly focusing on providing clean drinking water. He also worked to provide scholarships to Haitian youth. His Haitian ministry was indicative of the compassionate, caring person he was known to be.
R.A. served his local community in several capacities as well. He was a member and president of the Attica Consolidated School board for 12 years. He served on the Attica Community Foundation Board. He also served on the Fountain County Farm Service Agency County Committee.
He was an avid lifelong reader, an instrument-rated private pilot and was selected as Conservation Farmer of the Year for Fountain County.
Perhaps his greatest passion, besides his family, was his stewardship of the land. In 1983, he began farming on his own using ridge-till technology to minimize soil erosion and external inputs. In 1991, he began farming in partnership with his son Dan. Together they successfully converted the farm to a no-till system, teaching and sharing their knowledge with other farmers from around the globe.
After his “retirement”, he remained active on the farm as long as his health allowed into his eighties. When he wasn’t needed in the field, he loved to practice his landscape artistry with his bulldozer, excavator and bobcat. He never quit until his failing heart demanded it.
R.A. leaves behind his wife, Lynn, of 57 years along with two children, Dan (Barbie) DeSutter and their three children, Dylan (Tayler) DeSutter, Damon (Karley) DeSutter and Dalton (Maddie) DeSutter as well as two great-grandchildren, Sage Maren DeSutter and Miles Daniel DeSutter, all of Attica; and daughter Ann DeSutter of Longmont, Colorado; two special brothers-in-law, Larry (Melanie) Sells of Westfield and Lane (Tami) Sells of Independence; and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by sister Eva McGraw of Williamsport.
A celebration of life will be held at the Beef House Restaurant in Covington on Saturday, Feb. 17. The celebration will begin at 4 p.m. with a meal to follow. Family and friends are encouraged to attend.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Thomas Aquinas Haiti Foundation, 535 W. Mitch Daniels Blvd.,West Lafayette, IN 47907.
