Col. George Leonard Rutland, Jr. (USAF retired), 88, a longtime resident of Tullahoma, TN, passed away on Monday, April 10, 2023, surrounded by his loving family, glorifying God for his eternal healing and homegoing to Jesus in Heaven. He was graced with visits from all his children and visits and video calls with all his grandchildren before his passing. He was a determined fighter till the end after years of complicated medical issues. His love language was service, and his life was a legacy of service to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, his family, his Country, and to others.
George was born and raised in Neeses, SC, the eldest of three children to George Leonard Rutland, Sr, and Myrtis Patricia Bonnette Rutland. He was proud to have been a graduate of North High School in North, SC, and for the uniqueness of its name. He loved playing on the basketball and baseball teams and farming there. George earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of South Carolina in Columbia. He worked while in college and joined the ROTC program. When he graduated, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. George earned a Master’s in Management Degree from SMU in 1969. He served 27 years in the Air Force and retired as Colonel in 1983. George was a patriot born on the 4th of July and determined to dutifully serve his country.
George’s U.S. Air Force remote assignments included Tokyo, Japan; Anchorage, Alaska; and Saigon, Vietnam, along with short-term service in South Korea and winter in Nome, Alaska. His Air Force assignments in the lower 48 states included Wright-Patterson AFB, OH; Seymour Johnson AFB, NC; Charleston AFB, SC; SMU assignment in Dallas, TX; Bolling AFB, Andrews AFB, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C.; Chanute AFB, IL; and Randolph AFB, TX.
George earned his professional engineering license and was registered in several states while in the Air Force. After military retirement, George continued serving his country, working for various prime contractors at Arnold Engineering & Development Center (AEDC), Tullahoma, TN, and retired as Civil Engineering Branch Manager after 16 years in December 1999. He continued working as an engineering consultant in writing contract proposals for military prime contractors for 3 years after AEDC retirement.
George served His Lord and Savior faithfully in churches and communities around the country where his military service took him. In 2000 he transitioned to even more dedicated service to First Baptist Church in Tullahoma, TN. He grew very close and developed eternal friendships with so many saints in their common service to the Lord. George was benevolent and caring for people and causes dear to his heart his entire life. He believed in meeting people at their point of need while having a burdened heart that his entire family, extended family, and everyone he could contact would have salvation in and a life-long relationship with Jesus Christ.
George is survived by his wife of over 65 years, Marilyn Ethelda Brock Rutland. Together they had six children – George Leonard Rutland, III (Angie); James Kevin Rutland (Leslie); Tressa Mytricia Rutland (Terry Nierenhausen); Craig Ashton Rutland (Cathy); Timothy Shane Rutland (Amy); Scott Kipling Rutland (Carin). They have 13 grandchildren, 1 “adopted” granddaughter, and 23 great-grandchildren and counting. George is predeceased by his parents, George L. Rutland, Sr. and Myrtis Bonnette Rutland, his stepmother Irma Dean Rutland, his brother, Henry Marvin “H.M.” Rutland (Faye), and his sister Elizabeth Rutland Davis (Harris).
His favorite things in life included serving his church locally or around the world; spending time with family and extended family; talking with people and serving them; loving on babies; serving in the U.S. Air Force; spending time outdoors, gardening and the joy of eating fresh vegetables, yard work, and farm work; watching a whole host of sports; well-crafted words and a quick wit; he enjoyed technical and persuasive writing and giving presentations to Congress and the Pentagon; laughing hysterically till he cried; all things Geechee; toothpicks; haggling and getting a “good deal”; shag dancing; root beer, strawberry shakes, Chick-Fil-A chicken biscuits, boiled peanuts, pecans, and of, course, SC hash over sticky white rice; becoming a people person the older he got; after no longer being confined to Air Force dress blues, wearing colorful, albeit, loud clothing; serving as master of ceremonies and giving humorous public speeches at his church.
On the morning of April 10, 2023, His Lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in George’s honor to the First Baptist Church Tullahoma, 108 E Grundy St., Tullahoma, TN, 37388, www.fbctullahoma.org, or to any place of service to the Lord Jesus Christ of your choice.
Visitation will be held at 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 14, 2023, at Ward’s Funeral Home, 758 Main St. SW, Gainesville, GA, 30501. A Celebration of Life with a full military honors burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at Dunagan Chapel United Methodist Church, 5540 Timber Ridge Rd., Gainesville, GA, 30507, with final interment following. Col. Rutland will lie in state from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. at the church.
You may sign the online guestbook or leave a condolence at www.wardsfh.com.
Ward’s Funeral Home of Gainesville is honored to serve the family of Colonel George Leonard Rutland, Jr.
