William L. Rutherford
February 23, 1927 — May 15, 2011
William L. Rutherford
Bill Rutherford, 84, passed away in Knoxville, TN on Sunday, May 15, 2011.
He was born in Savannah, GA on February 23, 1927 and he and his parents moved to Kingsport in 1938. He graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the Navy. After completing basic training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor to learn to operate radar equipment onboard ships. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier Antietam where he assisted the pilots in landing their planes onto the carrier. He was proud of the fact that he never lost a plane. He received his Honorable Discharge in July of 1946. He and Dorothy Walter were married soon after his being discharged and he started his college education at Tusculum College, and then transferred to the University of Tennessee where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and began his career with Tennessee Eastman. He retired in 1986.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Carl Rutherford.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Walter Rutherford, of Lenoir City, TN; sons: David Rutherford and wife Michele of Fremont, CA, Ed Rutherford and wife Colette of Orange Park, FL, Sam Rutherford of Lenoir City, TN, Mike Rutherford and wife Debbie of Lenoir City, TN; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Bill had many hobbies and interests in Kingsport. Foremost were coaching football and baseball at Boys Club, officiating high school football games for TSSAA, and playing golf. After retirement he really enjoyed our few years in Florida because he could play golf almost every day. Because of his failing health we moved to Lenoir City. All our sons have been such a great help to us.
A memorial service will be held on June 4, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Kingsport. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kingsport, Eastman Center, 1 Positive Place, P.O. Box 784, Kingsport, TN 37662.
He was born in Savannah, GA on February 23, 1927 and he and his parents moved to Kingsport in 1938. He graduated from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 1944 and immediately enlisted in the Navy. After completing basic training, he was sent to Pearl Harbor to learn to operate radar equipment onboard ships. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier Antietam where he assisted the pilots in landing their planes onto the carrier. He was proud of the fact that he never lost a plane. He received his Honorable Discharge in July of 1946. He and Dorothy Walter were married soon after his being discharged and he started his college education at Tusculum College, and then transferred to the University of Tennessee where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and began his career with Tennessee Eastman. He retired in 1986.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Carl Rutherford.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Walter Rutherford, of Lenoir City, TN; sons: David Rutherford and wife Michele of Fremont, CA, Ed Rutherford and wife Colette of Orange Park, FL, Sam Rutherford of Lenoir City, TN, Mike Rutherford and wife Debbie of Lenoir City, TN; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Bill had many hobbies and interests in Kingsport. Foremost were coaching football and baseball at Boys Club, officiating high school football games for TSSAA, and playing golf. After retirement he really enjoyed our few years in Florida because he could play golf almost every day. Because of his failing health we moved to Lenoir City. All our sons have been such a great help to us.
A memorial service will be held on June 4, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. at Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Home, Kingsport. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kingsport, Eastman Center, 1 Positive Place, P.O. Box 784, Kingsport, TN 37662.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William L. Rutherford, please visit our flower store.
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