A man who always had a story to tell, a friend to make, and a hand to lend, Bruce Arnold Rutledge, 81 years old, of Renton, Washington, passed peacefully, surrounded by his family on May 21, 2024, after a long and relentless battle with esophageal cancer.

Bruce was born in Renton, Washington on July 22, 1942, to Dorothy and Harold Rutledge. He was the second of seven children. The family relocated to the Territory of Alaska in the early 1950s before it was a state. Bruce would tell stories about what it was like trying to survive in such an unforgiving place, especially when family resources were so scarce. The family did not stay long and returned to Washington State after an incident involving Harold and the Territorial Justice System. Bruce would say that the family was deported and given a one-way ticket back to Washington with explicit orders to never return. He would return to Alaska but not before 65 years had passed. It remained a place of great intrigue and a topic of endless conversation for him.

Bruce enlisted in the US Navy with his brother Ronald, just two days shy of his 18th birthday in 1960. Bruce was a diesel engineer on Navy tugboat, Y.T.M. 262 that his crew took from Pearl Harbor to Johnston Island as part of Operation Dominic 1, Joint Task Force 8.3.9, assisting with a series of atmospheric nuclear detonations over the Pacific. Taken from Bruce's own words in a letter to the US Department of Justice on radiation exposure, "During one of the launches, we were sitting on the ground with our high-density goggles on, our arms crossed over our knees, and I remember that within a few seconds after the detonation, I could feel intense heat start at my head, go down through my feet and back up again. Burning pieces of rocket were falling all around us. In an attempt to protect our wooden tugboat from catching fire, we were grabbing these hot pieces of debris with our hands and throwing them into the water." This was both an exciting and terrifying time for a young man in the US Military.

The same year Bruce enlisted in the US Navy, he married the love of his life, Ruth Rutledge, in Auburn, Washington on Friday, the 13th of October 1960, which Bruce forever referred to as "the luckiest day of my life." Bruce and Ruth were neighbors and had been inseparable since the age of 12. They celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary on October 13, 2023. The year after Bruce and Ruth were married, their first son, Tracy, was born. Then came first daughter, Deena. Still in the military during this time, Bruce was stationed in the Bay Area and Ruth was living in a tiny apartment in San Francisco during the "Swinging Sixties." Resources were tight, and the babies slept in drawers in a bedroom dresser. Once Bruce's military service ended, the family moved back to Washington State, eventually settling in Renton. Here, second son, Scott was born and eventually second daughter, Amanda.

Bruce held different jobs from transporting racehorses all over the country, to driving a Greyhound bus, to working at the Bunker Hill Lead Company, to being a long-haul truck driver. He finally settled as a truck driver for Federated Logistics, the company that owned Macy's and the Bon Marche. He loved his job and the independence and freedom being alone in his truck every night afforded him. Bruce eventually retired in 2005.

With the boredom of retired life setting in, Bruce considered other ways to contribute and stay active. In 2008, the opportunity to join the American Red Cross as a disaster volunteer presented itself and Bruce was trained and deployed to Louisiana to drive emergency response vehicles handing out hot meals and comfort kits to areas devastated by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. In 2011 he deployed to Joplin, Missouri to help after a catastrophic tornado. Bruce was also active as a local volunteer at the American Red Cross Serving King and Kitsap Counties in Seattle, assisting with driving classes, providing vehicle, and building maintenance expertise, helping with local shelter setup and being a Jack of all trades. Ruth made her own contributions by sending freshly baked cookies with Bruce every week for the employees and volunteers. He maintained his commercial driver's license and was called to drive "Henry's Kitchen," a mobile kitchen that was moved all over the US from disaster to disaster. Bruce was extremely proud of the work he did carrying out the mission of the Red Cross and helping those in need.

Bruce had a big appetite for travel and adventure. He would get an idea and had to master whatever new sport or activity caught his fancy. He climbed the local peaks in the Pacific Northwest culminating in a trip to the top of Mt. Rainier. Not surprisingly, he gave up his opportunity to summit when volunteers were needed to help an injured climber back down to basecamp. Bruce also spent time learning to scuba dive in the frigid Pacific Northwest waters eventually obtaining his Master Scuba Diver certification. On the travel side, he made countless trips with his family to Mexico, Hawaii, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and a life changing visit to Machu Picchu.

Bruce's biggest accomplishment and greatest source of pride was his family. Ruth, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren represent the best parts of him and his legacy that lives on. Before cancer took his voice, his family was all he talked about to the doctors, nurses and anyone who would listen. His family was his reason for accepting every new treatment offered to him in hopes that he could have more time with them.

Bruce leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Ruth Rutledge, his sons Tracy Rutledge (Cecilia) and Scott Rutledge (Sarah), his daughters Deena Nelson (Jim) and Amanda Rutledge (Jules), grandsons Lee Rutledge (Lauren), Kyle Rutledge (Samantha), and Blake Rutledge (Sarah), granddaughters Emily Nelson, Shaila Nelson, Brielle Rutledge, Anya Rutledge, and Carenna Rutledge, and his great grandchildren, Ali, Colton, Hunter, Lucas, Aurora, and Tommy. He also leaves his older sister Patricia Dawley and younger brothers Donald and Frank Rutledge.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents Dorothy and Harold Rutledge and brothers Ronald, Richard, and Alfred Rutledge.

He will be remembered for his generosity and wicked sense of humor. For all the lawns he mowed, many of which weren't his, all the cars, bicycles, lamps, espresso machines, houses, etc. he fixed, for his inclusive holiday light display, his Christmas prime rib, his Avon Black Suede aftershave, his love of aliens and conspiracy theories, his crossword puzzles, his BBQ, his beloved mochas, his willingness to help, no matter what, his love of chili rellenos, his rose garden and annual tomato growing contest with Ruth, his jokes and exaggerated hand gestures, most always inappropriate, his humility, his raccoons that he wasn't supposed to be feeding, the way he thought he was whispering in public but was also hard of hearing, and all the life lessons he left us with. "Nobody is better than you, and you are better than nobody," he would say.

Please join the family to celebrate Bruce's life at one of the places he loved most:

The Museum of Flight

Skyline Room

9404 East Marginal Way S.
Seattle, WA 98108

Friday, June 14, 2024

12:30pm - 3:30pm

Light snacks and beverages will be served

All are welcome

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the American Red Cross: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/

Or the Museum of Flight: https://www.museumofflight.org/support/make-a-gift