Donald Lowell Rutherford

Donald Lowell Rutherford was born in Aberdeen, WA, on July 23, 1936, to Irma and Lou Rutherford. His family moved to Tahuya, WA, where he started his 2nd-grade year of school. At the start of 7th grade, they moved to Shelton.

Don's father owned Lou's TV Service on Mountain View where Don started working installing television antennas. Don loved sports and was an avid baseball and football player throughout high school.

He also found a love for hunting and fishing that started at a young age. It grew and continued throughout his whole life. He graduated from Irene S. Reed High School in 1954 and received a baseball scholarship to St. Martin's University. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve and served 8 years.

Don would say some of his best summers were spent at Minerva State Park (now known as Potlach State Park), growing up with the Carney Family. This is where he met and fell for his wife Susan. They married on October 17, 1959, and began their journey together. They brought two children into the world, daughter Terri Rutherford (Wood) on April 12, 1960, and son Tad Rutherford on July 21, 1961.

Don worked for Simpson Timber Company logging and scaling up at Camp Govey.

He commercial fished for eight years out of La Push, WA on his boat the Sea Widgeon. With his son and daughter as deck hands, they learned to do it all by his side, regardless of the weather.

Don and wife Sue with their daughter and son also hit the road involved in the rodeo circuit for 20 year,s all over the Pacific Northwest. He calf roped, team roped, and cow milked through the years and even won a buckle or two. Through all the fishing and rodeo competitions, his love for sports never ended. He would spend many seasons coaching his kids and other kids in the sport of baseball.

Don went to work full time as a lineman for PUD 3. He retired from there after 30 years of dedicated service of putting power in and getting power back on. Many friends and family will always remember his stories of working wind and snowstorms and the locals bringing them pies and baked goods as a thank you. After retiring Don continued to do the things he loved. He fished, crabbed and went shrimping on Hood Canal all through the years. He doesn't have a kid or grandchild that can say they didn't get to fish with "Papa". His hunting adventures throughout his young life, that made him love it so much, continued until his last day. He has successfully hunted many bulls and bucks throughout the years. He has the story to tell for every one of them. Most will always include that Sue, Tad, or Terri was there with him.

Don is survived by his wife Susan Jeane Rutherford (Carney) daughter Terri Wood (Rutherford) and husband Steve Wood, granddaughters Teddi Pais (Wood) and husband Jeremy Pais and Sunni Evans (Wood) and husband Brian Evans; great-grandchildren, Dalton, Colt, Jonathan, JJ, Adam and great-great-grandkids, also his favorite nephew, Stan Rutherford and wife Erica. He was preceded in death by his father and mother Lou and Irma Rutherford and his son Tad Rutherford.

So many chapters of life came to a peaceful end on February 8th, 2024. His stories will never be forgotten. His bucks will always be bigger, and his fish will always be the fight of a lifetime!