Justine Theresa Rutan

Justine Theresa Becker Rutan passed away on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at the age of 95. She will be remembered for her devotion to her family and her faith. Justine was predeceased by her beloved husband, Everett J. Rutan, Jr., as well as her siblings, Dorothy Becker Neville, Edward Becker, and Robert Becker. She was the last of her generation in the family.

Justine was known for her love and dedication to her children and their spouses: Everett J. Rutan III (Carol Barkauskus Rutan), Christopher G. Rutan (Noriko Kawakami), Mark J. Rutan (Leslie Shomaker Rutan), Stephen A. Rutan (Camille Babineau Rutan), Elizabeth (Betsy) Rutan Bruhn (Wayne Bruhn), and Justine (Tina) Rutan Dolan (Michael Dolan). She will be remembered lovingly by them as well as her 17 grandchildren and her 9 great grandchildren. Her love and pride in her family were reflected in the many photographs on display in her home.

Born December 14, 1929, to Wendel and Elizabeth (Eyth) Becker, Justine grew up in Queens, NY during the Great Depression. She earned a B.A. from Queens College in New York City. She married Everett on June 2, 1951, and after several moves they landed in Madison, CT in 1965 with their 6 children in tow. It had been her dream to live near the beach, and summers were joyfully spent at The Surf Club in Madison. When her sister Dorothy would visit with her 8 children, a day at the beach was spent counting heads as each wave rolled in. Her love of swimming meant that her children endured 7:00 a.m. Red Cross swimming lessons on chilly, foggy summer mornings - but they are all decent swimmers!

Education was so important to Justine that she worked part-time throughout the years to help cover the cost of her children’s parochial school education at Our Lady of Mercy Country Day School, Xavier High School, and Mercy High School, and later college tuition. Following the sudden death of Everett in 1981, Justine went back to school at night and studied computer science. She then worked for several years as a software engineer while her two daughters finished college. Her commitment was an integral part of who she was and inspired her children and grandchildren to pursue higher education.

Justine was a long-standing member of Saint Margaret Church in Madison, serving as a eucharistic minister as well as volunteering in several other capacities. Her steadfast faith guided her through the upheavals in her life, and she never wavered in her devotion to her faith and the Catholic Church.

Known simply as “Gram,” Justine will be remembered for her love of her ever-growing family; her love of music, the beach, swimming, cooking, knitting, sewing; the quilts she made for each granddaughter as they headed off to college. All were welcome at Gram’s, every new family addition was celebrated. There is no better testament to, and celebration of, Justine’s life than loving family she leaves behind.

A funeral Mass will be held at Saint Margaret Church in Madison on October 2, 2025 at 11AM. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, www.michaeljfox.org .