Marie-Louise Altamura passed away January 16, 2025 at age 100 at Centre Care in Bellefonte, PA. She was born in Paris, France June 25, 1924 to Amedee and Yvonne Derasse. Marie-Louise was preceded in death by her brother Jacques Derasse who passed away Oct., 2011. Her father served in the French Foreign Legion in Africa and Indo China and died when she was seven years old in 1931. Due to her mother’s poor health she lived with her Aunt & Uncle in Coligny where she attended boarding school. At the age of 16, Marie-Louise lived in Algeria for one year with her Aunt & Uncle where she attended College of Maison Carree in the town of Maison Carree. She returned to Paris the following year when she received word that Germany was preparing to invade Paris. She was part of the Exodus and witnessed the Germans marching into Paris. She shared stories of how the Parisians suffered many hardships during the war. During this time she lived with her Aunt & Uncle Camille who was Chief of the French Resistance where she witnessed American soldiers secretly sleeping in their home. At the end of the war she was present with her mother, Aunt & Uncle at 6 a.m. when her Uncle Camille was arrested by the Germans and taken to prison.
At the end of the war Marie-Louise met an American soldier in Chalons sur Marne in 1946 and came to the U.S. on the SS Ile de France in Dec., 1946 where they were married in NYC and settled in Norwich, CT.
Marie-Louise taught French in two private girls’ schools in MD and retired from St. Bernard Catholic H.S. in Uncasville, CT in 1986 where she taught French 1,2,3,4 & 5. She loved her students and teaching them the French language as well as taking some of her students to France and various countries every other year.
Marie-Louise is survived by her daughter, Ghislaine Bush who lives in Summerville, FLA, Linda Funderburk, Havre de Grace, MD and Robert Altamura, State College, PA and leaves behind 7 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. She had a great sense of humor and she loved hearing stories about her grandchildren & great grandchildren and was known as Grandmere. She will be greatly missed.
A funeral service will be held at Koch’s Funeral Home in State College on Sat., January 25, 2025 at 2 pm. She will be buried at Graysville Cemetery in Spruce Creek, PA.