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Charles Brutus Obituary
Funeral Services for Charles Ray Brutus will be held Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 1:30 p.m. at Mt. Canaan Baptist Church, 1666 Alston Street, Rev. Harry Blake, Pastor. Rev. Barry Hoekstra, Pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church will officiate. Interment will follow at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery.
Family Hour is scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2013 at Good Samaritan Funeral Home, 2200 Laurel St.
On Tuesday, October 1, 2013, Brother Charles Ray Brutus "flew away to a land where there will be no more dying." A native of Shreveport, he was baptized at an early age, by Pastor Harry Blake, and maintained an active and faithful membership at the Mt. Canaan Baptist Church until he was compelled to follow his passion and carry on his vision to educate others about the joy of music in other Sunday service settings.
A product of Caddo Parish Public School System, he was a 1982 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School. He later received his Bachelor's and Master's Degrees, in Music Education, from Northeast Louisiana University and held a level three certification in Orff Schulwerk from the University of Memphis.
Charles was a dedicated employee of the Caddo Parish School Board for more than 20 years - having previously taught at Shreve Island Elementary. At the time of his passing, he was a teacher at South Highlands Elementary School, where he also directed the Tiger Chorus. He was the Choir Director at St. Luke's United Methodist Church on Youree Drive and, also, was the founding Director of the Northwest Louisiana Children's Chorus.
Charles worked with the Shreveport Opera as Chorus Director for many performances, composed music for children and adult choruses, and in 1998, was recipient of a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship to Japan. Charles is the fourth child of the late Robert, Sr., and Helen Brutus.
He was preceded in death by his eldest brother, Erwin Lamar Brutus.
He leaves to cherish his memories, siblings, Robert Lee Brutus, II (Stephanie) of Bronx, NY, Mitzi R. Brutus of Atlanta, GA and Littie Brutus Raymond of New Orleans, LA. Three nieces: Patience, Grace and Nyita of Atlanta, GA, five nephews: Robert, III of Bethesda, MD, Christopher of Atlanta, GA, Kevin of Bronx, NY, Evan and Lawrence of New Orleans, LA, one great nephew - Christian, his godchild, Aditi and a dedicated childhood friend, Darrell Lynch.
His memories will also be cherished by a host of relatives and friends.
GOOD SAMARITAN FUNERAL HOME
(318) 221-7337
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Charles Brutus
Grayson Neville
August 15, 2023
All through my 3 years at South Highlands Elementary Mr. Brutus was one of the absolute highlights of my years, always having a smile on my face when I'd go into his class. I ended up moving before he passed but will always have a place in my heart and so will South Highlands.
Mitzi Brutus
September 8, 2014
As I look at the October 2014 calendar, I think about the day my baby brother, Charles, went on to be with the Lord. I still miss him and I am sure I always will. I still am thankful for the full and rich life he lived. I checked my email today and saw that there were new postings. It warms my heart still to hear how much he was loved by so many.
You never know how you are going to react to things like this. It hurts you deep in side. My only comfort is knowing that Charles made his choices early in life and he chose to be a follower of Jesus. With this choice, I rest assured that the promise of Jesus is now a reality for Charles, "To be absent from the body is to the present with the Lord."
I pray that others find comfort in this also.
Be blessed.
Love, Mitzi
September 5, 2014
Charles and I became friends at NLU. He was a truly gifted musician and just a really nice person. I learned of his death by happenstance on the Internet and am stunned and grief-stricken to learn this news. He will be greatly missed.
Sean and nancy foo
February 21, 2014
Ch arles what's my roommate in college. Nancy and I I've been thinking about him lately and wanted to contact him to say hi to him after all these years.we haven't seen or spoke to him in 30 years yet the memory of him doing we're not gonna take it by Quiet Riot Frank Sinatra style still fresh in my mind. Still remember the time when he attended my tennis matches and same to me is it the best you can do.in the two years we spent as a roommate Charles shared with me his friendship while I introduced him to songs by Bob Dylan.Charles learned Malaysian songs and he performed at our parties. nancy and I just found out about your departure when we were seeking to call you. You are missed
Mitzi Brutus
October 19, 2013
As I awaken this morning, I decided to google my brother's name. This has been so unreal for me. I have rested after returning to Atlanta, Ga. 24 hours after hearing of Charles' death I had major surgery, for which I was not totally prepared for. But, God is good. He is the Great Shepherd and nothing catches him by surprise. He knew the timing of both Charles' death as well as my surgery. And he knew how much covering that would be needed to carry my family through this painful time.
I appreciate the life my brother lived. I appreciate the love the Shreveport community reciprocated to him. The times I shared with Charles over the phone, he always spoke of how truly blessed he felt to be able to work in a field that he actually loved, as well as with people he actually enjoyed getting up everyday to be with. Charles also held his church family at St. Luke Methodist in such high regards. I am so thankful that he had your love and fellowship.
May the God of all comfort continue to comfort each of us as we move forward in hopeful anticipation of His soon return.
Shawn McLeod Riddle
October 17, 2013
Charles elevated my love of all things musical - he had such wonderful talent and humor and a humility of both. His ability should have been celebrated on the most popular stages and churches around the world, but he chose to help push up the young voices and talent in this local area. How much he will be missed !! Prayers for his family and the SLUMC - I know you will continue to feel his loss.
Laura Tucker
October 16, 2013
Mr. Brutus was a wonderful teacher and an even better friend. He was the teacher you could go to after having a rough day and his smile will instantly brighten the room. He wore his "teachers rules" pins on his shirts and took pride in explaining them to us. You will be dearly missed by the students of South Highland Elementary. You taught me so much about music, and also taught me so much about life. I pray that your stories and spirit will live on. Thank you for all you have done, Charles Brutus.
charlotte webb
October 14, 2013
I remember Mr. Brutus as an inspiring music teacher at St. Luke's United Methodist church. May god bless them in comfort and sorrow.
Charles with me this summer
Maloy Strickland
October 13, 2013
Charles Brutus Memorial notes:
A little after midnight in the wee hours of Wednesday, June 12, 1963 a racist sniper murdered civil rights activist, Medgar Evars in his driveway at his Jackson Mississippi home. At that very moment, 120 miles away in Monroe, Louisiana, my mother was in labor in a hospital room. Around three hours later, I was born in a violent era of racial division right in the middle of the South. Two months later, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his famous, "I Have A Dream" speech in Washington D. C. and was also murdered 5 years later in Memphis, Tennessee. During this time a spirit of violence and murder swept America as whites killed blacks and blacks killed whites. Everyone felt like a target because of his race.
This effected me as a child, because my first impression of black people were that they were violent, angry people. When I was in first grade, the schools were integrated, but the playgrounds and cafeterias of those schools were still segregated. We dared not cross the invisible line to fraternize with the other race because, 1) we were afraid of them and 2) we were afraid of the bullying that might ensue from those of our own race. Although my parents taught us against racism, the community where I grew up sowed seeds of racism into my mind, so that I saw the world through a set of racially tinted glasses of which I was not aware I was wearing.
In 1981, I graduated from high school and that fall started my undergraduate studies in music at NLU (now ULM). One year later a freshman music major walked onto that campus and Charles Brutus forever changed my life. He became my "first black friend," but quickly was simply my friend, then my best friend. I transferred to another institution my senior year and came back 4 years later and went through graduate school with Charles as well. Charles caused me to think about race in a totally different way. Charles Brutus was living proof that ALL the racial stereotypes I heard as a child were bogus. The glasses through which I saw the world came off immediately, I began to see much more clearly! Charles opened up a whole new world to me that I never knew existed. Because I saw him as another man, and not as a black man, I began to see all people as men, women, boys or girls and not as blacks, whites, Jews, Hispanics, Asians or Native Americans. Because my friend Charles was comfortable being the only black guy in a group of white people, I became comfortable being the only white guy in a group of black people.
I see Charles Brutus as one of the greatest civil rights activists of our time. No, Charles did not carry a sign and fight for his equality. Charles Brutus carried something much bigger than a sign. He carried a confidence that said, "I AM equal, therefore, there's no need to fight!" Charles did not fear the giant of racism. Charles Brutus was the giant and racism was a little joke! Racism is ignorance and to racism, Charles was knowledge. To give you an example of his attitude toward racism and stereotypes: if some of us were discussing where we would eat, a typical comment from him would have been something like, "you could always come to my place and have fried chicken and watermelon....you know, that's what we have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day." One quote of his I will take with me is, "The only thing black about me is the color of my skin." This agrees with 1 Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation," that word nation being the Greek word "ethnos" meaning, "race." Charles was born a black man, but when he was born again, he ceased to be a black man and became a Christian!
Charles was so much more than a confident black man. He was a great friend. I loved to be around him because he could always make me laugh. Most of my laughs came from his witty sense of humor; but, one laugh came from an incident that happened when we were in undergraduate school together. The voice department would hold a voice class about once a month and would have us voice students sing. It was Charles's turn and I listened as he sang a German lied I had learned the year before. When he finished the song, the freshmen voice students were in awe at his vocal prowess and his command of the German language. As the audience was applauding his wonderful performance I was rolling, laughing on the inside. Little to the suspicion of those unfamiliar, Charles had forgotten the second verse and had made up his own verse consisting of pseudo-German syllables as he smiled and emoted his imaginary prose. His quick wit turned a potentially embarrassing moment into a nice performance.
Speaking of friendship; a little over 7 years ago after I went through losing a job, losing a marriage, losing a home and going through a bankruptcy; I had reached bottom. As I struggled to get my life back, I called Charles to ask him to write a letter of recommendation for me so I could get a job. Charles suggested rather that I apply in Caddo. I did, and got the job I currently hold. Getting the job, didn't solve all my problems because I faced immediate problems involved in moving here. I had been working at minimum wage and certainly didn't have money to make a deposit on an apartment. Charles opened his home to me and allowed me to stay six weeks until my first paycheck. About the time of that first check, I met a beautiful lady, Eunice who later became my wife and I asked Charles to be my best man (on his birthday.) Eunice and I have two beautiful children and enjoy a wonderful life together. I will ever be grateful, because had I not met Charles Brutus, my beautiful family would never have happened. Thank you Charles, I will look to see you in heaven some day. Until then, I will always remember you!
Kalia Moore
October 13, 2013
Rest Peacefully Mr. Brutus
Lynetta Tapo Gaines
October 13, 2013
So very sorry to hear of your loss. My prayers and thoughts are with you all.
October 12, 2013
"Come to the mercy seat, fervently kneel
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not heal"
To the Brutus family, Mr. Brutus taught my children music back in 2002 at Stoner Hill Elementary. During that winter, our family suffered a tragic house fire, Mr. Brutus showed us kindness and for that I am ever grateful for his giving spirit. Your loved one was a wonderful and talented human being. He will be singing in the heavenly choir and we will see him again one day.
Jerry and Shaunseleon D. Moore, mother and father of Jerian, Kalia, and Tariq Moore former students of Mr. Brutus.
Andrew Meyer
October 12, 2013
Mr. Brutus was an angel sent from heaven, and he will truly be missed.
michele ebarb
October 12, 2013
I have seen the light you put in the hearts of children who wanted to sing. You turned them into a choir of angels. May your light live long and prosper in those you touched. The Ebarbs (Belle, Reese, Kate, Maddie,Jac, & Jon; students from SHM)
Robert O. Moore
October 11, 2013
To Brutus family GOD,has call a good servant home.My prayers are for the family keep the Faith and love each other.
Rebecca Boyter
October 11, 2013
Charles was one awesome music teacher and will be remembered.
Chenetra Smith
October 11, 2013
We share in your loss of a great man. His love and dedication to his students will not be forgotten.May God comfort your family. We are praying for you.The Smith family;
( Cynai Smith 5th Grade student SHM)
Jenipher Thomas
October 11, 2013
I am so sorry to hear of the loss of you brother. May God richly bless and comfort you and your family doing this time, Littie.
Bridget Lee
October 11, 2013
May the 23rd Psalm offer your family comfort during this time; King David knew about soothing the soul through music, and the songs in the Psalms are his works.
Class of 82
Angela Taylor-Love
October 11, 2013
To the Brutus Family...being a family of faith bestows on you the knowledge that God is masterful in all his works. Having called Charles home at this stage in his life was just a part of Gods master plan. Trust Him, lean on Him and know that He is there to comfort you. Be encouraged and of good cheer. Charles led a beautiful life. That will never be forgotten.
Theresa Rankin
October 11, 2013
My thought and prayers are with his family. He had a beautiful voice. God Bless!!
The Newton Family
October 11, 2013
To the family of Mr. Brutus God Bless you. He was dedicated to his students. He will be truly miss.
Marvette Washington
October 11, 2013
Charles, I have fond memories of you in choir at BTW under Mrs. Kimbles direction. You were such a star to us all with your vocal abilities. You will be greatly missed. May God comfort and keep your family during this season of mourning. Blessings Always
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