Joan M. Rutherford
Died Sept. 16, 2017
LAKE LEELANAU – Joan Mary Rutherford,
79, of Lake Leelanau, entered into Eternal Joy Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017 at her
home with her loving family at her side.
Joan was born March 8, 1938, in
Detroit, to Francis George Wallace Kearns and Sophia Angeline (Guzdzial) Kearns. On Sept. 6, 1958 at St. Dennis Church of
Royal Oak, she married John Frank Rutherford who survives. They most enjoyed music and dancing
together. Her marriage was first with
her and her love for John was beautiful.
Always the life of the party, you’d
see Joan leading the conga line and toasting with a glass of Merlot! Joan’s love of taking pictures and posting
them online is treasured now more than ever in the memories they provide. Joan was an excellent cook and would create
huge Thanksgiving meals for upwards of forty people. The kids especially remember her molasses
cookies, kapusta, and pumpkin pies.
Her 12 grandchildren were her
joy! She was their fierce protector and
confidant. Meema had a way of praising
her grandchildren and they all knew they were her favorite! A lady of strong faith, Joan loved St. Mary’s
Church and School. She enjoyed the
chicken dinners and playing bingo. She
was the director of the Leelanau County Chamber of Commerce and earned the
Citizen of the Year award upon retirement.
An exceptional secretary and bookkeeper, she worked for Electric Motor
Repair and Service and Harris Properties.
Her hobbies included Scrabble, Canasta, crosswords, journaling, and
spending time with her grandchildren.
Joan is survived by her loving
husband of fifty-nine years, John; her three children, Janine (Jeffrey)
Winkler, Cindy Rutherford, Caroline (Basil) Bardenhagen; her siblings, Irene
Atchison, Laura Wachlarz, Judy (Phil) Cunningham; her brothers and sisters
in-law, Danny Paciocco, Richard (Sue) Rutherford, and Lyane Kearns; and her
twelve grandchildren, Andrew Zeits (son of Cindy), Ellen, John, Steven, Maria, and
Joseph Winkler, and Jack, Matthew, Sophia, Clarice, Lillian, and Francis
Bardenhagen.
She was preceded in death by her
parents; and her siblings, Kenneth and Larry Kearns and Jeanette Paciocco.
Visitation will be held Friday, Sept.
22 from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Rosary to be prayed at 7 p.m. at the Martinson Funeral
Home of Suttons Bay. The mass will be
celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at St. Mary’s Church of Lake
Leelanau with the family greeting family and friends at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s
Cemetery. Father Bryan Medlin will serve
as celebrant.
Memorials may be directed to The
James Harris Memorial Scholarship, c/o David Baldwin, The Prospectors Club,
5600 W. MacFarlane Rd, Glen Arbor, MI 49636.
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