Dennis S. Rutan Sr.
Dennis S. Rutan Sr., 65, of Graysville (Morris Township), died at 4:42 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2013, with his family present, in his home after battling a cancer-related illness since October 2012.
He was born January 9, 1948, in Sycamore (Morris Township), a son of the late Ellsworth Rutan and Aldean Hopkins Rutan Sanders.
Mr. Rutan had resided in Fredericktown, prior to returning to Greene County in 1977.
He was a member and trustee of Beulah Baptist Church (Nineveh) and was a 1966 graduate of West Greene High School.
Mr. Rutan was a Vietnam veteran, having served with the U.S. Army as an SP5 with the 165th Aviation Group and was awarded the Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign and National Defense Service medals.
He was a former employee of REVCO warehouse and Kirkwood Commutators, both in Cleveland, Ohio, the Tri-County Water Co. in Fredericktown and J&L Steel Vesta 5 coal mine. He was last employed by Emerald Mine in Waynesburg, prior to retiring in 1996.
Mr. Rutan was an avid sports fan and was a former coach with Little League baseball and several men’s, women’s and girls’ softball teams.
He enjoyed hunting and visiting area flea markets, where he would buy and sell children’s toys.
On November 27, 1969, he married Rebecca Jane Rakoski, who survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Dennis S. Rutan Jr. of Raleigh, N.C., and Jerry, husband of Shannon Rutan of Waynesburg; two daughters, Denise, wife of Heath Mooney of Sycamore and Nicole, wife of George McDonnell of Pittsburgh; eight grandchildren; five brothers, Harry Rutan of Morris Township, Charles, Jack and James Rutan, all of Waynesburg, and Ray Rutan, companion of June Tustin of Graysville; seven sisters, Martha Larson and Coral Hazel Rutan, both of Ohio, Dorothy Orndoff, Judy Rutan, Penny Arthur-Wright and Dale, wife of Ed Gaskell, all of Waynesburg, and Ethel (Pauline) Caldwell of North Carolina; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in Rush Funeral Home Inc., Rogersville, where funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 29, with the Rev. Harry Hill officiating. Interment will be private. Military rites will be accorded at the funeral home by the Second IBCT Color Guard of Washington. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, www.pancan.org. Family and friends may view the obituary and send condolences at www.rushfuneralhomeinc.com.