Mary Kathleen Baker Rutland, 69, of the West Berrien Community passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2003, at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta. Her funeral service was held at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, October 2, 2003, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Hody Rutland and the Rev. Tim Hemingway officiating. Mrs. Rutland was laid to rest at Oakey Grove Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in Berrien County.
Joe Hester, Eric Mitchell, Dewayne Mitchell, Terry Redding, Jim Barber, Timmy Baker, Greg Griner and Michael Baker served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Dot Carter, Helen Redding, Louise Mitchell, Marie Barber, Nelda Griner, Sue Baker, Melba Doris Baker and Faye Baker.
Born February 12, 1934, in Berrien County, Mrs. Rutland was the daughter of the late Joseph Ernest Baker and Cherry Magnus Willis Baker. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Ernest Walter Rutland, who passed away in 1992; and two brothers. She was a homemaker; and she was of the Baptist faith. She had lived her entire life in Berrien County.
Mrs. Rutland is survived by two son, Doug Rutland of East Berrien and Mark Rutland of West Berrien; two daughters, Cherry Cornelius and Sonya Throneberry, both of West Berrien; one brother; one sister; sixteen grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild.