Keith Alan Rutherford

Keith Alan Rutherford
1963-2019
After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Keith Alan Rutherford peacefully passed away on September 8, 2019 surrounded by his family. Keith was born in Dallas, Texas on July 17, 1963 to Marilyn and William Rutherford.
He is survived by his mother; sister Kristina; brother Kyle and wife Paige and their three children; his daughter Leah and her fiancée Jonathan Bonczyk; his daughter Megan, and his life partner and love of his life, Wendy, and her two sons, Ryley and Ronin. Celebrating his life are also countless friends who cherished him deeply. He was preceded in death by his father.
Keith grew up in Austin and received his engineering degree with honors from The University of Texas at Austin in 1985. After working as a petroleum engineer for Exxon for several years, Keith returned to UT Austin for his law degree, which he obtained in 1991 with high honors. He began his law career soon after at the Houston based law firm of Arnold White & Durkee, where he started to build his skills as a trusted attorney in trademark, patent, licensing, and other intellectual property matters. He joined Compaq Computers in 1997 where he established his reputation as an excellent litigator and advisor. After working as in-house counsel and business development director for Questia Media in 2001, he along with four others founded Wong, Cabello, Lutsch Rutherford & Brucculeri LLP, an intellectual property boutique law firm. At Wong Cabello, Keith helped grow their practice until 2015 when the firm merged with Blank Rome, LLP. Throughout his career, Keith mentored many young attorneys, received several accolades as a stellar attorney, and most importantly, was highly respected and trusted by his many clients, who in turn became his friends.
Keith had a very generous and selfless heart and always found time for his family, friends and community. He volunteered as a mentor for at-risk youth, served as an elder in the Presbyterian church, and was a staunch Longhorn alum. His many passions included The Hackers golf group comprised of his law school friends and in which he was referred to as the "The Commish," his annual trip to Vegas with long-time friends and colleagues, his extensive baseball cap collection, and his Windy Knoll Ranch in Brenham where his donkeys brought him joy and provided him with many stories to tell. The sunsets brought him peace, and of course, wine while looking at the stars.
Above all, Keith was an amazing, big-hearted son and brother and was a committed and loving father to Leah and Megan, always guiding them through life's challenges and most importantly loving them unconditionally. He adored Wendy who stood by his side providing him with love, companionship, and care and he did the same for her.
Please join us in remembering our beloved Keith in the Chapel at Chapelwood United Methodist Church, 11140 Greenbay St., Houston, Texas 77024 on Saturday, October 5, 2019 at eleven o'clock in the morning.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the youth development organization the First Tee at https://thefirsttee.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/donate/ or by check mailed to 425 S. Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, FL 32092. This organization combines Keith's passions of golf and helping youth to learn its inherent values along with providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promotes healthy choices through the game of golf.