Herman Earl “Big Bubba” Rutledge, Sr., age 83, of Sheffield, died Friday, January 2, 2015 after a brief illness. His family will receive friends Sunday, 1-3 p.m. at York Terrace Baptist Church, Sheffield with the funeral service following in the church sanctuary at 3 p.m. with Bro. Rodney Shewbart officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Sheffield.
Mr. Rutledge was a Colbert County native and a member of York Terrace Baptist Church where he served as Trustee and Usher. He was retired from Reynolds and was inducted into the Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame, was a member of the Tennessee-Valley Football Officials Association and was a founding member of the Sheffield Little League. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hayes and Jessie Rutledge; brothers, Hayes, Homer and Horace Rutledge; sisters, Hilda Johnson, Helen White, and Harriet Robbins, and great-granddaughter, Natalie Helton.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years, Nadine Rutledge; sons, Earl Rutledge (Cathy), Tony Rutledge (Jenna), Bobby Rutledge (Rhonda), honorary son, Kyra Jackson (Wendy); daughters, Vicky Rutledge and Beth Baker (Don), eleven grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers are Andy Rutledge, Chris Rutledge, Jim Pride, Johnny Wright, Wesley Roden, Randy Pettus, Jason Helton, and Drew Cox.
Honorary Pallbearers are Trustees and Ushers of York Terrace Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to York Terrace Baptist Church Building Fund.
The Rutledge family expresses special thanks to Dr. Ronald McCoy, Dr. William Smith at Shoals Hospital, the North Alabama Cancer Center and Good Samaritan Hospice, especially, Sherry Chaney.
