Charles "Carl" Rutherford

Bluefield, WV- Charles Carlton "Carl" Rutherford, age 90, of Bluefield, West Virginia, passed away Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at Bluefield Regional Medical Center. Carl was born on September 2,1921, in Tazewell, Virginia, the son of the late Charles and Nora Afton Rutherford. Carl graduated from Tazewell High School and enlisted in the United States Navy. Carl proudly served as Chief Yeoman on the personal staff of Five-Star Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Command, in Hawaii and Guam. One of his primary responsibilities was routing secret and top-secret mail to Nimitz and his staff. One of his proudest moments while serving under Admiral Nimitz was the honor of meeting the late General Douglas MacArthur and the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Carl was the last surviving member of Admiral Nimitz's staff. He was honorably discharged from the United States Navy in February 1946. After his military service, Carl graduated from McLain's Business College. Carl's business career involved grocery store management in Powatan and Northfork for A&P and Piggly Wiggly. He then moved to Bluefield, WV where he was a salesman for Hooten Equipment Company, and later co-owner of Allied Refrigeration. Seeking a new challenge, Carl became a real estate sales associate and broker ultimately retiring as co-founder & co-owner of Sentry Land & Homes, Inc. In 1989, he served as president of the Mercer County Board of Realtors. In addition, Carl proudly served for many years on the Bluefield Union Mission Board of Directors, as well as on the Planning Commission for the City of Bluefield. He is a member of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Bluefield, West Virginia. Carl was preceded in death by his parents, infant son, Charles Carlton Rutherford, II, and wife of sixty-seven years, Elsie Lovell Rutherford. In addition, brothers A.P., Leonard, and William Rutherford, as well as sisters Virginia Asbury, Ethel McCauley, and Grace Schaffer predeceased him. Carl is survived by two daughters, Sharon Rutherford Duckworth, and husband Larry, of Suwanee, Georgia, and Carolyn Rutherford Law, and husband Charles, of Bluefield, West Virginia. In addition, he leaves to mourn his memory five grandchildren: Matthew Preston Duckworth, and wife Amanda; Kristen Duckworth Parker, and husband, Greg; Benjamin Patrick Duckworth, and wife Katie; Kari-Beth Law Alden, and husband Andrew; and Megan Marie Law. Carl was blessed to love four great-grandchildren: Annabelle Parker, Samuel Parker, Caroline Duckworth, and Harper Alden. Carl is survived by one sister, Harriet Rutherford Poulas, of Culpepper, Virginia, a host of nieces and nephews, loving caregiver, Maria Hicks, and loyal friend and neighbor, Kathy Poe. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 3:30 pm at Mercer Funeral Home, Bluefield, West Virginia. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Grandview Memory Gardens in Bluefield, Virginia where military honors will be provided by the U.S. Navy and the Mercer County Veteran’s Council. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Bluefield Union Mission in Carl's memory. Those wishing to share memories or condolence messages with the family may do so by visiting www.MercerFuneralHome.com Mercer FuneralHome & Crematory is serving the family of Mr. Charles Carlton “Carl” Rutherford.

Charles "Carl" Rutherford

September 2, 1921 - October 26, 2011