Roger Dale Rutherford

April 9, 1950 – March 6, 2021

Roger Dale Rutherford (Dad, Daddy, Pops, Rog) was promoted to Glory to be with Jesus on March 6, 2021, in Greenville, TX, at the age of 70 years old.

Roger was born on April 9, 1950, in Perry, OK, to Robert and Vivian Rutherford. He graduated from Jacksboro High School in 1968. He served in the Army for 3 years active duty and 3 years in reserves from 1971 to 1978. He served in Viet Nam, 1971-1972, as an Apache Helicopter Mechanic and Cobra Crew Chief. He graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in Computer Science Management Information Systems in 1985. Roger met his wife Grace Rheudasil while in the Army and they married in 1978 in Wilson County. His father officiated the ceremony and his daughter Christi served as the flower girl. After his other three children were born, they moved to the farm where he spent his life loving his family and building a legacy of love and service to others.

Roger was a computer programmer before there were Microsoft or Apple Operating Systems. When those programmers were no longer needed, he turned his technical talents to database design and systems architecture, then a systems conversion specialist. He retired in 2014 to spend more time on his farm in Josephine and with his grandchildren.

He was a guitarist, a poet, a shade-tree mechanic, and an honorary Dad to many all over the world. He loved to quote lines from various movies, like Oh Brother Where Art Thou, at just the right time to make people laugh. His quick wit and comedic timing were unmatched. He was most recently learning to play the ukulele he got for Christmas so that he could sing with his daughter. He was also using his mechanic skills to fix the go kart for his grandson and his home renovation skills to help his sons with various projects, and had recently built his wife a swing so they could enjoy time together talking and enjoying the outdoor scenery. He could build or fix anything and everything he did was for the purpose of showing his love for his family, friends, or anyone in need.

He made everyone feel like they were his favorite person, because anyone who’s met him knows, they genuinely were all his favorites. He saw people for who they were, flaws and all, and he still just loved them as if they were perfect. To Roger’s children and grandchildren, he was their friend, playmate, cheerleader, never-ending story teller, their biggest champion, hero, and their safe haven. To his wife, Grace, he was her other half, her best friend, and teammate. He believed that she was evidence that he must be humble because 1 Peter 5:5 says “God gives grace to the humble.” Roger would always lovingly say “My name must be humble because God gives ‘Grace’ to the humble.” Roger created so many beautiful memories for his family with all of his talents.

Roger is survived by his loving wife Grace Rutherford, and his four favorite children: Christi Fanning and her husband Timothy of Jacksboro, TX; Rachel Wolverton of Frisco, TX; Hayes Rutherford and his wife Taylor of Josephine, TX; and Seth Rutherford of Josephine, TX; and his favorite brothers Irvin Rutherford of Shreveport, LA, and Gene Rutherford of Hutchinson, KS; and his favorite sisters Pat Allen and Reba Pippin of Jacksboro, TX, and Deloris Piper of Hurst, TX. He is preceded in death by his favorite mother and father, Vivian and Robert Rutherford, his other favorite siblings, sister Karen Botkin, and his brother George Rutherford. He was “Granpa” to his favorite grandchildren, Corbin, Hannah, and Caleb Fanning and his great-grandson Rylan Elliott. He was “Papa” to his other favorite grandchildren Jude, Emma, Avery, Wyatt, Elise, and Liam. He was everyone’s favorite too.

A brief graveside service is scheduled for Thursday, March 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the Josephine Cemetery, “a geographical oddity 2 weeks from everywhere” located off County Road 2668 in Royse City, TX. His brother, Irvin Rutherford, will officiate the ceremony. In lieu of flowers, a GoFundMe page has been set up that will be used to send a donation to YWAM- CEBU in the Philippines (Youth With a Mission). He had a special place in his heart for their mission and donated often to support their needs.