Dewitt Obits

Helen L. Rutledge

Helen L. Rutledge, 94, of Chenoa passed away 12:30 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 26, 2016) in Meadows Retirement Community, Chenoa.

Services will be 1 p.m. Friday in First Presbyterian Church, Normal, with the Rev. Larry Gaylord officiating. Visitation will be two hours before services in the church. Burial will be in Cerro Gordo Cemetery. Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington, is in charge of arrangements. Memorials: American Diabetes Association, Alzheimer’s Association or donor’s choice. Send condolences: www.calvertmemorial.com.

Helen was born Feb. 6, 1921, in Lintner, the daughter of Clyde W. and Eva H. Born Clow. Helen lived in Cerro Gordo with her husband, Kenneth, and children, then moved to the family farm in Hammond after her grandmother died. She was a graduate of Cerro Gordo High School and Brown's Business School. She was active in the Oakley Brick Church of the Brethren as Sunday school superintendent, Sunday school teacher and Bible school teacher. Helen was a member of the Cerro Gordo American Legion Auxiliary. She served as an election judge in Piatt County for many years, as well as a 4-H leader and volunteer for her children's school activities. Helen enjoyed taking family vacations, going on Sunday rides with her family, working in her yard and garden, and attending the many sporting events that her children and grandchildren participated in. Helen loved decorating for and celebrating holidays with her family and cooking for all occasions. The dogs, cats and chickens on the farm were her special interests, along with her large strawberry patch. She married Thomas “Kenneth” Rutledge on May 17, 1947, in Oakley. He passed away Feb. 27, 1989.

Surviving are her children, Thomas W. (Judy) Rutledge of St. Petersburg, Fla.; Barbara K. (Ron) Pohl of Winslow; Donald K. (Nancy) Rutledge of Bloomington; David C Rutledge of North Mankato, Minn.; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; nephew, Steve Bourquin of Decatur.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister and brother-in-law, Margie and Howard Bourquin and niece, Patti Bourquin.

The family would like to thank the staff of Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community for all of the care that was shown to Helen.