Shawn Claire Dutch, 75, Green Bay, was welcomed into her heavenly kingdom on Thursday, January 25, 2024. She was born on November 13, 1948 in Syracuse, NY to the late Kenneth and Laura (Chilton) Matteson.

Shawn was a graduate of Barnard College in New York, where she majored in Spanish. It was there that she met her future husband, Steve, who was finishing his doctoral studies at Columbia University. Shawn worked at the New York State School for the Deaf in Rome, NY where she became fluent in sign language. Steve and Shawn were united in marriage in 1975 and moved to Green Bay the next year. Steve was employed at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay and Shawn taught sign language courses for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. In her later years as the Spanish speaking community in Green Bay grew she taught Spanish.

Shawn loved to travel. She and her husband visited every state and took numerous cruises. Shawn visited about 40 countries. In 2018 she and her husband started Wells4Uganda, an organization to raise money to build wells in rural villages in Uganda.

Shawn is survived by her husband Steve; son Christopher; grandchildren Aleyna, Alex, and Abby; daughter in law, Tonya. Alejandro and Monica Sosa, who are children of close friends Shawn and Steve have known since infancy, are considered honorary grandchildren and Monica's daughter, Lia, is an honorary great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her son Brendan and her parents.

Friends and family will gather at Blaney Funeral Home, 1521 Shawano Ave., from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31; Parish Wake to follow at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue at St. Willebrord Catholic Church, 209 S. Adams St., from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 1; Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Andrew G. Cribben, O. Praem. officiating. To send online condolences, please go to www.BlaneyFuneralHome.com.