After a few days of medical complications, Milton Rutter passed away comfortably in his sleep on June 9, 2009, at St. Benedict's in Jerome.
Born in his family's home in Hailey on Feb. 18, 1921, Milton attended school in Hailey. He worked summers in his family's construction business, starting at age 13 as a water boy with the 120-man crew that hand dug the Hailey municipal water system from Indian Creek and through the streets of Hailey. In 1943 he enlisted for service in the Army. He served as a field mess cook with the 6th Army during campaigns in North Africa and Italy, ending up at the foot of the Italian Alps in northern Italy when the armistice was declared.
Upon his release from service, he worked as a carpenter with his father at the Triumph mine on the East Fork of the Big Wood River until its closure. He continued his carpentry career with his father's construction company (JM Rutter, Contractor), Loomis Construction Co. and his son's construction company (RF Rutter, Contractor) and retired in Hailey in 1978. During his employment he collected scrap copper to finance his hunting trips and scrap wood that he delivered to various widowed ladies in Hailey for heating.
Milton was an avid outdoorsman and successfully hunted mountain goats, antelope, deer, elk and upland game birds. Also an accomplished fisherman, he spent many evenings fishing the Big Wood River between Deer Creek and Croy Creek, and enjoyed taking his children and grandchildren fishing on Quigley Creek.
Milton was a member of American Legion Post 24 and the Masonic Lodge in Hailey. He and his late wife, Mary (Sexton) Rutter, were members of the Wood River Rangers Riding Club, where Milton exercised his cooking talents for the group on many weekend campouts. Both volunteered their time for many years in the production of the Fourth of July Wood River Roundup Rodeo until they moved to Jerome in 1999.
Milton is survived by his son, Ralph Rutter (Julie) of Dumont, Colo.; grandsons, Joey Showalter (Teresa) of Bellevue, Jamie Showalter of Bellevue, Bryan Rutter Richardson (Kim) of Seattle, Colton Terry of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., and David Chiprany (Diane) of Acworth, Ga.; granddaughters Chelsea Behrens (Eric) of Seattle, Christina Terry Dorlig of San Diego, Calif., and Lisa Chiprany of Acworth, Ga; and eight great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Leticia Jackson; brother, Verl Rutter; two daughters, Rene Rutter and Vicky Showalter; two sons, Thomas Chiprany and Chris Terry; grandson, John Showalter; and spouses, Gloria Berry, Mary McFarland and Mary Sexton.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Blaine County Senior Center, 721 S. Third Ave., Hailey, ID 83333.
Interment will be held at 1:30 p.m., Oct. 3, at the Hailey Cemetery. Arrangements are under the care of Farnsworth Mortuary, 1343 S. Lincoln, Jerome, ID 83338 with assistance from Wood River Chapel.
