Clairbel Rutherford

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M., Thursday, August 27, 2009, at Long Creek United Methodist Church with visitation one hour prior to service time at the church.Burial will be in Point Pleasant Cemetery, Long Creek, IL. Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, Decatur, IL, will be handling the arrangements. Memorials may be made to the Long Creek United Methodist Church Building Fund.Clairbel was born June 4, 1922, in Decatur, IL, the daughter of Charles E. and Myrl V. Schneder. She fulfilled her childhood dream of marrying a farmer when she married Ray V. Rutherford on May 16, 1942. He preceded her in death on June 10, 1990.Clairbel enjoyed the plain and simple life and did not need a lot of the material things in life. She loved her God, her country, her family, and her farm. She also liked the St. Louis Cardinals and her animals. She was a hardworker and very patriotic. She instilled these values in her children and grandchildren. As she has said to them many times Hard Work Builds Character.She operated Rutherford Egg Farm in Long Creek, IL for many years. She was a member of the Macon County Farm Bureau and the Long Creek United Methodist Church.She leaves to cherish the memories, her daughter Mary Lou Ross, husband Jim (Norm) of Long Creek, her son Danny Ray Rutherford and wife Jeanine of Long Creek, Judy Allene West and husband Russell of Canyon Lake, TX, and daughter Bonnie Kay Hubbard of Long Creek.Also surviving are her grandchildren of whom she was very proud: Jeffrey Ross of Cincinnati, OH, Tina Ready and husband Sean of Mt. Zion, IL, Tammy Stephens and husband Bob of Charleston, IL, Danny Lee Rutherford of Carpentersville, Il, Jarrod West of Champaign, IL, Blake West of Charleston, IL and Mary Kay Hubbard of Long Creek, IL.Also, surviving are step-grandchildren Karen Johnson, Laura Current (Jeremy), and Jamie Barryman (Amos).She also leaves great grandchildren: Padric, Meagan, and Quin Ready, Ava and Austin Stephens, and step-great grandchildren Nathan and Alex Current, and Miles and Jackson Barryman.She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Ray, infant sister Mary Lucille, grandson Timothy Charles Rutherford, and great grandson Bret Robert Stephens.The family would like to thank the staff at Heritage Manor, Mt. Zion for all the loving care of our mother the last year of her life. We appreciate the kindness and care shown, and words of encouragement to our mother and grandmother and our family during her stay. God Bless You All. "
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