Obituary of John Rutherford

Rutherford, John Loftus, 83, of Ridgewood on Saturday, April 7, 2007. John is survived by Sally, his wife of 59 years; his son, David, and his wife, Marian, and their daughters, Sarah, Catherine and Claire, also of Ridgewood; and his son, Peter, and his wife, Christie, and their sons, Michael and David, of Wyckoff. He is also survived by his brother, Russell, and his wife, Marie, and their son, Robert. Born in Philadelphia, John served his country as a P-47 pilot during World War II, was shot down on December 15, 1944, and spent the balance of the war as a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft One. Upon returning home, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Physics, and a Master's Degree and Ph.D. in metallurgy and materials science from the University of Pennsylvania, all without benefit of a high school diploma. He worked in the Research Center at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, and for 34 years at Kearfott in Little Falls, engaged in the design and manufacture of inertial guidance systems, retiring in 1997 as the Director of the Materials and Processes Laboratory. In 1972, John earned a Master's Degree in English from Rutgers University, specializing in 17th century literature, and taught at Rutgers as an adjunct professor for a number of years. He was a man of faith, and served God faithfully throughout his life. He was an active member of Church of the Savior (Lutheran) in Paramus, and more recently, Advent Lutheran Church in Wyckoff. John had many diverse skills and interests, and an inquiring mind, stemming from a lifelong love of reading. He took particular pleasure in his 1969 Corvette convertible, driven on a daily basis for over 35 years. He was loved and respected by all who knew him. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service to be held at 10:30 AM on Thursday, April 12, 2007 at Advent Lutheran Church, 777 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff, New Jersey 07481. Visiting hours are Wednesday, April 11, 2007 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue., Wyckoff, New Jersey. John will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Advent Lutheran Church.