Peggy Shirlene Rutherford
Peggy Shirlene Dixon Rutherford, 78, of Middletown died Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018 at Tri-County Care Center in Vandalia surrounded by her loving family.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Friday at the church. The Rev. John Foster and The Rev. Stan Henderson will officiate. Special music will be provided by Peggy’s siblings. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery in Middletown.
Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m., Thursday at Middletown Baptist Church.
Services are under the direction of the Myers Funeral Home in Middletown.
Mrs. Rutherford was born in Wheeler, Texas on Sept. 8, 1940, a daughter of Wilburn P. “Runt” and Opal I. Barton Dixon. Peggy was baptized into the Baptist faith in Hadacol Corner, Texas, on Nov. 15, 1952.
Peggy met her husband, Lowell Dean Rutherford in St. Louis and they were married April 12, 1957. They shared over 61 years together, before he preceded her in death on June 18, 2018. To this union six children were born, Darrell Rutherford, of Vandalia; the late Donnie Rutherford and wife, Candice of Middletown; Lisa McClanahan and husband, Mike of Chesapeake, Va., Joe Rutherford and wife, Christine of Middletown; Dennis “Beaver” Rutherford wife, Stacy of Bowling Green and LaDonna Nobbe and husband, Mark of Spring, Texas. She was “Nanny” to Kyle, Jacob (deceased), Erica, Aaron, Jordyn, Hannah, Courtney, Matthew, Maria, Makenzie, Aiden, Quintin, Ashley and Addison. She was also blessed with five great-grandchildren – Brendon, Destiney, Ozabella, Kloee and Kooper.
Peggy came from a big family of sisters and a beloved brother, Patsy Hanson (deceased), Polly Mitchell of Salem, Phyllis Melton of Rolla, Pam Crimson and husband, Lynn, Will Dixon and Priscilla Halbrook and husband, Donnie, all of Branson. She was sister-in-law to Norma Rutherford Walker of Green City, Gary and Brenda Rutherford of Middletown and Jim Mudd of Lancaster. Peggy also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.
Peggy attended many schools growing up as her family was in the oil business. Of the many places she lived, she always said Beattyville, Kentucky, was her favorite, where she was crowned Miss Lee County in 1956.
Peggy was known in the Pike County area as the OATS bus driver for 20 years. She earned a safe driving award every year and took pride in her job. Peggy was talented in planning many trips and her “mystery trips” were everyone’s favorite. She loved to look at her atlas and follow along on the journeys of her sons who were OTR drivers as well as each one of her family members when they went on trips.
She loved to tell you her experiences of her many trips and give you many tips and “must see” locations. Peggy’s hobbies were painting, sewing, and crocheting and doing research on genealogy. She loved to shop on QVC and visit with many of her Amish friends. The one thing she loved and missed the most was getting together with her sisters to sing with her dad playing guitar or her brother playing along.
Peggy also spent many hours and days going on rides with her husband, always seeing new and different areas. She loved to go watch her husband and sons pull their tractors as well as watch them drive in derbys. She was her kids’ biggest fan and always put them before herself.
Serving as pallbearers will be Joe Rutherford, Dennis “Beaver” Rutherford, Aaron Rutherford, Will Dixon, Matthew Nobbe and Mike McClanahan. Honorary pallbearers will be Darrell Rutherford, Aiden Rutherford, Kyle Rutherford and Fred Flagg.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Middletown Baptist Church or the Cowboy Church, c/o Myers Funeral Home, 203 East Bates Street, Wellsville, MO 63384.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.myersfuneralhome.biz.
