Donald "Don" Edmond Rutter, 84, passed away on Saturday, January 2nd 2016. Services will be at 1 pm, Saturday, January 9, at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS. A reception following the Memorial Service will be held at the Church. Don was born on March 19, 1931 in Hoberg, MO and graduated from Shelbina High School where he participated in all sports and in his senior year was President of Missouri 4H. He continued his education at the University of Missouri in Columbia where he played football on a Board of Curators' scholarship, lettering two years, and achieving his boyhood dream of receiving a Mizzou letter jacket. During his time at the University of Missouri, he received many honors including Mystical Seven and "M Man" Scholar/Athlete of the Year. At 6' 7" tall, his nickname was "Tree". In his senior year, Don met the love of his life, Norma Abrams, a southern belle from Waco, Texas. They married in January 1953 before Don graduated that spring with a BS in Agriculture and then moved to the family farm in Shelbina, Mo. Don and Norma farmed for five years and started their family there. In 1958, they made the decision to pursue a corporate career resulting in 24 years with Wilson Certified Meat Packing Company. They moved the family around the country, finally moving to Marshall, MO in 1973 where Don opened a new state of the art pork processing plant and served as General Manager. His life continued in Marshall for the next 40 years where he was involved in community organizations. He was an active member of the Covenant Presbyterian Church where he served as Trustee and Elder. His greatest joy was derived from adding his voice to the choir. In 1984, Don and Norma became entrepreneurs, purchasing several Servpro franchises that they owned and operated in the Marshall / Sedalia area also serving as Servpro Trainer/Distributors. Don and Norma received the Outstanding Franchise of the Year Award in 1986 before retiring in 1997. After living in Marshall for 40 years, Don and Norma returned to Kansas City in January of 2014, home to all three of their children. Don was a joyful, uncomplicated, optimist who was comfortable in his own skin. He found his deepest satisfaction in time spent with his family, his faith, and in working with his hands on projects. Gardening, woodcarving, and making scrimshaw pieces were some of his creative hobbies. Grilling his famous ribs, playing his ukulele or mandolin to lead family songfests, and making up bedtime stories were some of the regular acts of love he shared with the family. His wife, Norma, was the light of his life to the end…"the best of the best". In his later years, throughout his numerous health challenges and the cloud of dementia, he continued to connect with everyone he came in contact with in an extraordinary way, bringing joy to many. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff and caring community at Village Shalom. In the last year of his life, he spent happy weekday afternoons in the loving atmosphere of Village Shalom memory care. Don was predeceased by his father, James E. Rutter, his mother, Elgia Gibson Rutter, and his brother, James Rutter. Left to wrap their arms around his memories are his wife Norma Rutter; children, Clo Whitaker and her husband, Jack of Leawood, KS; Rick Rutter of Overland Park, KS; Susan Satterlee and her husband George, of Overland Park, KS; and grandchildren Adam Whitaker (Jen) of San Mateo, California, Kelsey Whitaker of NYC, New York, Rachel Rutter, Suzanne Rutter, Morgan Rutter, Marshall Rutter of Overland Park, KS ; Andrew Satterlee (Betsy) of Chapel Hill, NC, Sarah Chafee (Tom) of Wichita, KS as well as numerous nieces and nephews. The family suggests memorial donations be directed to the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 710 E. Yerby St. , Marshall, MO 65340 or to the Alzheimer Association.