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Helen Joy Rutherford
Our mom and grandma Helen passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021 at Autumn Place in Joplin, Mo. She was 87 years old. Born on Nov. 24, 1933 in Fort Scott, Kan., Helen Joy Rutherford was the only child of Thomas Andrew and Dortha Mae (Beagles) Rutherford. She grew up on the family farm just across the state line in Missouri near Garland, Kan., and graduated with the class of 1950 in Bronaugh, Mo.
Helen’s gift of art was passed down to her kids and grandkids in painting of watercolor and oil, pen and ink and charcoal drawings, along with decorating, the love of cooking and her sewing skills. She enjoyed gardening, singing, working her crossword puzzles and mostly her love for jewelry, she always had her rings on.
Mom started her career path in bookkeeping when she began working for Edminston’s in Fort Scott. She made her home in California for over 30 years, and retired from Francis & Freidman in Beverly Hills as an accountant’s assistant “to the stars.”
Helen was the mother to six children: Jeff (Tere) Feller, Tahlequal, Okla., Joy (Mark) Orozco, Lisa (Richard) Bivona, Brad (Dianna) Feller, and Christopher Rutherford, all of Joplin, Mo., and Robin (Terry) Hughes, Fort Scott, Kan. She was blessed with 11 grandchildren, Erin, Zach, Wendy, Ian, Scott, Alysia, Christy, Stacy, Richard, Kimberly and Brenna. And grandma to 25 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Mom was preceded in death by her eldest son Jeff Feller a year ago on Sept. 19, 2020 and her son-in-law Richard Bivona this year on May 30, 2021.
There will be cremation. A family graveside remembrance will be held at a later date. We would like to thank all the staff at Autumn Place Assisted Living of Joplin for the kindness and dedication to their residents.