John Edward Rutter

John Edward Rutter passed away peacefully on April 28, 2020 in Yakima, Washington after a brief battle with lung cancer. John was born on November 25,1950 in Yakima, Washington to Lois Wischstadt and Alvin Rutter. The youngest of three, John grew up with two older brothers, Kenneth and Thomas Rutter in Naches, WA. During high school John worked at Eschbach Park, where he met the mother of his children, Nancy Dean. After graduating from Naches Valley High School in 1969 and then Yakima Valley Community College in 1972, John and Nancy married and had three rambunctious boys: Jeffrey Alan, Neal Edward (wife Alicia) and Casey Dean Rutter (wife Erika). Sadly, Jeffrey passed away in 2012.

John worked for the City of Yakima as a street inspector for many years, before becoming the director of Yakima County Parks. There, he was integral in developing the Ahtanum Youth Park and the Yakima Greenway.

John was an incredibly hard worker, but his family was the light of his life. He later married Carla Prinke, and during their twenty-three years of marriage they happily created a blended family that includes Carla’s children, Troy Martin and Christina (Martin) Waudby. Together with husband, Lance Waudby, Christina, who John loved dearly and considered his own daughter, had three daughters, Jessica, Shayla (husband Eric), and Shelby. Though grown, they are still known as “the girls.” John and Carla always looked forward to spending weekends and holidays with their grandchildren, Makayla and Mason, the children of Neal and Alicia, and great-grandchildren Octavia and Evelynn, the daughters of Shayla and Eric Hepp. John was also delighted to learn of and develop a friendship with his half-sister, Aline (Rutter) Keller.

John leaves behind a loving family and countless friends who will celebrate his life in the years to come.