John Linton Rutledge

John had many health challenges in his early years. His mother had a difficult time giving him birth and as a result John had many internal problems. It was a touch and go situation as to whether he would live. He was a colicky baby with lung and heart problems among other things. However, God had his hand on this life and with the doctors help and a mother's care and love for the child that God had given her, in time John healed and grew up to live a fairly healthy and long life.

He attended Grades1-9 at Calder Public School and Grade 10 &11 at Westglen High School in Edmonton, then finished off Grade 12 at Langley High School, Langley B.C., where he had moved with his mother and sister in 1946.

He attended Vancouver Bible School, Shurpass College and Vancouver Normal School. He received his Bachelor of Education degree at the University of British Columbia in 1967.

While going to school he worked summers for Calgary Power Ltd on survey crews, BC Forest Service in Prince Rupert as a draftsman making technical drawings from the results of survey crews, and Westinghouse Ltd. in Kananaskis AB, as a generator assembler.

John was a fast worker when he wanted to be. He met Ruth during the summer of 1974, when he visited his sister and brother in law, Gordon and Betty Denison, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ruth Martens was a close friend of the Denison's, and often visited them and was the babysitter for their children . John took Ruth out a few times during the summer, then on his return to Prince Rupert in August, they corresponded through letter and telephone: a long distance romance. They were engaged in December 1974 and married in Prince Rupert on January 17, 1975.

John lived and taught school as a teacher or principal at several places in BC.-- Port Edward , Kettle Valley, Greenwood , Prince Rupert and lastly, in Merritt , BC . He also went as an Exchange teacher to Salisbury High School, in Adelaide, South Australia in 1980.

He retired in 1987, although he always said that "there is not such a thing " as retirement. He proved this by keeping very busy teaching English at Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt, marked papers and substituted at the BC Correspondence School Branch, Merritt, tutored difficult children for Human Resources in Chilliwack, and later on volunteered at Chilliwack Cultural Centre teaching ESL to new immigrants.

John was always very faithful and active in serving the Lord in the churches that he attended. He was brought up in his early years at Beulah Alliance ,in Edmonton AB, where at the age of nine years old he placed his faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior. After moving to B.C. he attended Langley Evangelical Free Church, Cloverdale Baptist Church, and then Tenth Avenue Alliance and Bethel Evangelical Free in Vancouver. Then moving up to northern BC., he attended the Prince Rupert Evangelical Free, Harbor of Hope MB Church in Port Edward , and Prince Rupert Baptist. In 1975 he moved to Merritt and was active in the Merritt Baptist Church and then the Merritt Evangelical Free Church. In 1994, 21 years ago, he moved to Chilliwack where he and Ruth began to attend Chilliwack Alliance Church and served the Lord here.

John seemed to love to travel. In the 1970's, he travelled with other teachers to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. In 1999, John and his wife Ruth, took a 5 month trip to England, Greece, Bulgaria, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. Other places they have travelled to are Mexico, Hawaii, Alaska, Florida, England, Scotland and Ireland. They also took a River Cruise between Budapest and Prague, and a Cross Canada Via Train from Vancouver to Nova Scotia, then travelled by car to Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

On Tuesday, May 5, 2015, John entered the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in heaven, where there is no more night, no more tears, no more pain and no more death.

John was predeceased by his parents, William and Bessie Rutledge, a sister, Joyce and a brother, Gordon.

He leaves to mourn his loving wife, Ruth; his daughter Carolee Penner and husband Barry of Elm Creek, MB; his son Jeremy of Surrey, BC; his much loved grandchildren, Kayla, Jenaya, Benjamyn, and Emma Penner; his sister, Betty Denison and husband Gordon of West Kelowna, BC; his brother Stanley Rutledge and wife Emma of White Rock, BC, as well as many nieces, nephews and a host of friends who will miss him very much.

It is comforting to know that all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior will meet again around the throne of God and hand in hand join together in praising our great God and Savior.

(Written by Betty Denison on behalf of the family)