Barbara is survived by her nieces, Catherine Jean Trueman (John), Angela Rutschman Ham, and Kristin Rutschman (Dale), her great nephews, John Frederick “Tad” Trueman, William Robert “Billy” Trueman, her great nieces, Elizabeth Barbara “Beth” Trueman, April Anne Kindig, and Christina Marie Griffin, and a host of other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Frederick Edward Rutschman, Sr. and Mary Catherine Rutschman, her sisters, Betty Jean Rutschman and Freda Louise Rutschman who died in infancy, her sister, Mary Frances Rutschman, and her brothers, Alfred Eugene Rutschman, Frederick Edward Rutschman, Jr., and Segfred Walther “Bubba” Rutschman.
Barbara worked for many years in the insurance business, joining E.H. Crump & Co. (which later became Sedgwick James) in 1971 as a rater in the Insurance Services Department and later in the Marketing Department. Her love of numbers and accuracy made her a star employee and she was once called the best rater in Western Tennessee. She made many friends and stayed in touch with some of them for the rest of her life.
Barbara retired in the mid 1990’s but she always stayed busy doing the things she enjoyed most, especially spending time with her family, and working in her yard. Anyone who knew Barbara will recall what pride she took in keeping her yard and home beautiful. She could frequently be seen mowing the lawn and raking leaves, a sight that her loved ones will sorely miss when they drive past her home.
Barbara was always a child at heart and enjoyed taking her nieces and nephews on picnics at the park, teaching them how to make things, playing card games with them, and telling them stories, both fictional and about her life. Her constant presence in their lives is something they will cherish forever. Though she was set in her ways, Barbara was also full of surprises. She became an avid reader in her 70’s and in her later years read hundreds of books. She loved going to the thrift store and collecting mystery books by her favorite author, Mary Higgins Clark. She was a lifelong collector of things; her collection of Christmas village houses and Santa Clause figurines always made Christmastime so magical for the children in the family.
Barbara was truly one of a kind in so many ways and will be so deeply missed by all who knew her. She believed anything can be fixed and never gave up hope, even when times were hard. She lived a long and wonderful life, helped others every chance she had, took pride in everything she did, and always loved her family above all else.
Visitation will be held at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38119, on Tuesday, January 31 from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. The funeral mass will take place at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, 3863 Summer Ave, Memphis, TN 38122, on Wednesday, February 1 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, 1663 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38106
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralPoplar.com for the Rutschman family.
