Rita (Romanie Julia Taeckens) Age - 96 Los Al Rutherford

Rutherford, Romanie Julia Taeckens, 96, a resident of Los Alamos, NM since 1950, died peacefully at home after a short illness on June 26, 2011. Rita was born in Flint, MI on May 24, 1915 to Louis Taeckens and Annora Nolan. Her father came alone to the US from Belgium at an early age and her mother was among the Irish/English orphans who were shipped to Canada to become indentured servants.\r\nRita married Thomas Perry Rutherford in 1934 in Flint. In 1948 they moved to Denver. In 1950, they moved to Los Alamos, where their last three children were born. Perry picked out the government house, which became a wonderful family home, because of the view of the Sangre De Cristo Range, the large yard, and the surrounding forest where the kids could play. Rita had open doors for all of her children’s friends and the Rutherford yard was the playground of the neighborhood. Rita loved playing cards and there were always late night card games at her dining table full of family and friends. When son Joe was in Viet Nam, Rita wrote him daily and sent him packages weekly. She took on a major project of dyeing white underwear camouflage green and sent to Joe and his fellow soldiers for their protection.\r\nRita was very active in church. She and Perry taught CCD classes. She ironed altar linens and altar boy cassocks. Rita struggled to explain to her daughter that she could only dust the pews while the boys were training to be altar boys. For many years she voluntarily did all the grocery shopping for the rectory while shopping for her young family. She worked the charity balls, bingos, baked for bake sales and worked with groups of others to help pay for the Parish Hall. Later she was active in the Christian Concern Committee. Rita and Perry regularly helped the Sisters in Jemez Springs and the Villa Therese clinic in Santa Fe. Rita was among the first volunteers as the Senior Center developed. When the youngest children were old enough, Rita joined a Wednesday hiking group and could say that she had been on every mountain, mesa and canyon in much of Northern NM.\r\nRita’s life changed dramatically in 1982 when Perry died in route home from vacation of previously undiagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia. Rita’s life changed again dramatically in 2000 when she lost her home of 50 years in the Cerro Grande fire, along with the homes of two of her sons. The material loss was not as great as the loss of cherished memories of relationships and events connected with possessions of her long and devoted life. Too advanced in age to begin anew, Rita was lovingly cared for in a new home for eleven years by her daughter, with the support of her sons. Ironically, at the time of her death, Los Alamos was under evacuation due to the Las Conchas fire. Rita was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers and five sisters; and the sudden and heartbreaking deaths of her husband Perry and her sons Thomas, 24, and Joseph, 21. She is survived by sons Patrick (companion Fran Stoval), Donald (Elizabeth), Robert (Raul Reyes), Kenneth, Victor (Ann), daughter Lizabeth, osf; ten grandchildren Tim, Mark (Barbara), Maria Fillmore (Tom), Thomas (Bob Rice), Ann Luttrell (Kirk), Paul, Perry (Becky), Jessica Callico (Brian), Amelia, Ethan; nine great grandchildren, three step great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Special thanks to the Sisters of St. Francis of Colorado Springs, and to Annette Peters who brought Holy Communion for over 3 1/2 yrs. A rosary will be held on July 28 at 7:00 p.m. and the Funeral Liturgy on Friday, July 29 at 10:00 a.m. at IHM Catholic Church. If friends desire, donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation) 7665 Assisi Heights, Colorado Springs, CO 80919, or to the IHM Christian Concern Committee. The family of Rita Rutherford has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477

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