Harold Rutherford

Harold Coleman Rutherford, 83 years of age, died in Knoxville, on Friday, March 6, 2015. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Joyce Clyde Sweatt Rutherford; his children, Cynthia Marie White, David Clyde Rutherford, Tracy Diane Kitts, and Terry Leigh Lindsay; his grandchildren, Lindsey White Clark, Heather White Fox, Coleman David Lindsay, Kayla Marie Kitts, Meghan Leigh Lindsay, Brendan Gilbert Lindsay, Emily Nicole Kitts, Maya Jasmin Rutherford, and Julia Kristine Rutherford, and great grandchildren, Cole Wayne Fox and Emersyn Kate Clark. He was preceded in death by his parents, Eula Porter and Charles Coleman Rutherford and brother Waymon Rutherford. Harold was born in Alabama. His father was killed when Harold was just 12 years old, thrusting him into work as a sharecropper to earn food for his family. Upon eligibility, Harold joined the Army and served in the Korean War. Thanks to the GI bill, Harold was the first in his family to go to college, graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in electrical engineering. Harold had a dynamic and successful career that included serving as a test engineer for some of the early nuclear submarines at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Docks in Virginia, developing the powerful rocket motors that put men on the moon via General Electric and NASA’s Apollo space program, and bringing electricity to the lives of the people of the Tennessee valley via nuclear power for the TVA. Harold was a devoted family man and especially so as his family grew and spread. He somehow found a way to get his clan back to Tennessee for family reunions and made everyone feel at home even when they weren’t. He built a swimming pool in his back yard in Halls where he loved playing with his grandchildren. He maintained a house at the beach in Florida where his family was always welcome to stay while enjoying vacation. Harold was a lifelong outdoorsman. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed plying the Tennessee lakes and Florida marshes. He never forgot the lessons of growing food as a sharecropper and regularly had a large garden that he used to help feed his growing family. Harold was always doing something outside and inviting his friends and family to enjoy it with him. Even as these activities slowed later in his life, he never lost the joy of the visit, which of course was his purpose all along. Poppa was always happy to hear from you, no matter what he was doing at that time. We will miss him dearly. Poppa’s family will receive friends from 6-8 P.M. on Monday, March 9, 2015, with the funeral service following at 8 P.M. at Berry-Lynnhurst Funeral Home, 2300 West Adair Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee with Pastor Elton Rutherford, officiating. Interment will be held on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 10:30 in Lynnhurst Cemetery. Please visit www.berrylynnhurst.com to leave a condolence for the family.