Eileen Rutter

Age 92, of Centennial, CO died of cancer on Tuesday March 5, 2024. Eileen was born in 1931 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. She was the second of three daughters of John Hastings and Ellen Hastings (Kane). She grew up with her sisters Anne and Mary Jane in Roselle, New Jersey, graduating from Holy Trinity High School in Westfield, New Jersey.  

Education was important to Eileen: she was an Elementary school teacher from 1954 to 1962 in Kenilworth and Westfield New Jersey, and then Kutztown, Pennsylvania. After moving to Colorado in 1962 she taught in the Jefferson County School District. Later in life, she was a substitute teacher, and taught English as a second language in the Denver Public Schools.

She attended Union Junior College and then earned a bachelors degree from Newark State Teachers College in Elementary Education in 1954. In 1961, she added a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University. 

She met her future husband, John Rutter, at an event at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs in April 1963.  They were married in August 1963, just after John earned his MBA from the University of Denver.

She was predeceased by her husband of 39 years, John Rutter, and by her sister Mary Jane Mason.

Eileen is survived by her sister Anne Rooney, son John Rutter, Jr. and his wife Kathy, her daughter Julia Ellis, her son James Rutter and his wife Janeen, her son Jay Rutter and his wife Emily, her sister Anne’s daughters and their families, her sister Mary Jane Mason’s daughter and sons, and their families. She is also survived by granddaughters Olivia Rutter, Angel Rutter, and grandson Sean Rutter.

A Celebration of Life was held at Someren Glen Retirement Community on March 13^th, 2024. 

All are invited to attend a Celebration of Life on June 22, 2024 at 10:30am at Horan & McConaty in Centennial.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rocky Mountain MS Center, 8845 Wagner St, Westminster, CO 80031, or to AllHealth Network - DTC, 155 Inverness Dr. West, Centennial, CO 80112, or additionally to any Veterans organization.