JOHN THOMAS "TOM" RUTTER, 79 , of Cherokee, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at his residence surrounded by loved ones.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Mike Agnew will officiate.  Visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 29 ^th from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. with the family present from 5-7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa.  Burial will be in the Grand Meadow Cemetery, where he will join his wife, Carol, who has been waiting for him since 1992. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com .

Tom was born on January, 30, 1943 in Correctionville, Iowa, the son of Mary (Woodall) and George Rutter.  He graduated from Grand Meadow School in 1960.  He went on to Buena Vista College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1964.  While at B.V., he excelled in baseball, football, and basketball.

Tom was united in marriage to Carol Ann Pease on August 16, 1965 at Meadow Star United Methodist Church.  A son, Peter John Rutter was born to Tom and Carol when living in Memphis, Tennessee.  Tom was employed by First Tennessee Bank, where he managed one of their bank branches from 1969-1975. They moved to Houston, Texas in 1976, where Tom was President and Chief Executive Officer at First City Bank, Bear Creek Houston until 1992.

In 1992, Tom and friend, Dan Patrick, who is now Texas Lieutenant Governor, became owners and partners of KSEV AM 700 in Houston, "The Voice of Texas" radio.  While in Houston Tom became very involved with Bear Creek youth baseball, coaching his son's teams.  He was the much loved and respected "Coach Rutter" by the boys he spent many years coaching. On May 14, 1992, his first love, Carol, passed away.  Tom moved back to Iowa to be closer to his mother, brother, and "Woodall cousins". Tom became a partner in Miller Mac House of Insurance and Real Estate until 2008, when he joined the insurance department at Central Bank in Cherokee.

In 2009, he retired to spend his days on the Cherokee Golf Course.  After moving back to Cherokee, he met Linda Lewis and on July 11, 1998, they were joined in marriage, enjoying 24 years of family, golf, and winters in Golf Shore, Alabama and traveling to Texas to visit his son and family.

Tom's loves included crossword, which his grandmother taught him to do at the age of 9.  He spent the rest of his life with a crossword at his side, reading, on the golf course, time with the "Woodall cousins" but mostly enjoying his family.  His favorite coffee mug says, "My favorite people call me "PaPa".

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, wife Carol, sister and brother-in-law, Jean and Eugene Benedict, and brother, Doug Rutter.

Tom is survived by his wife, Linda of Cherokee, Iowa;  son, Peter of Tyler, Texas; grandchildren, Ellen Rutter of Dallas, Texas, Caleb (Kara) Rutter of Edgewood, Texas, and Thomas Rutter of Tyler, Texas; great grandchildren, Chandler and Hope Rutter of Edgewood, Texas; stepson, Kent (Becky) Lewis of Cherokee, Iowa; stepdaughter, Kris (Phil) Sargent of Muscatine, Iowa; step grandchildren, Nate (Britt) Lewis of Valentine, Nebraska, Jill (Scott) Hare of Aurelia, Iowa, Jacob Lewis of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Austin Wegner of Muscatine, Iowa, and Noah Wegner of Davenport, Iowa; step great-grandchildren, Coy, Bryn, and Ally Lewis, Tim Stowater, Carson, Mya, and Landon Purgett, and Ashton Hare; sister-in-law, Betty Rutter of Marcus, Iowa; cousin, Nancy Rutter-Spriggs (Max) of Kingsley, Iowa and the Woodall Cousins.