Jim Ruterbories

FALMOUTH - Jim Ruterbories passed away suddenly on Dec. 7, 2018 at Maine Medical Center. He was 65 years young. He was surrounded by family, friends and colleagues whom he loved in an unconditional way nobody will ever quite understand.

Jim was born on Aug.11, 1953 and was adopted shortly after by Donald and Margery Ruterbories in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in a small suburb of Denver called Wheatridge, alongside his brother Dave. Jim graduated from Jefferson High School on June 6, 1971. Jim completed one year of college at Western State University in Gunnison, Colorado before joining the Army in early 1973. He completed his basic training in Ft. Ord in Marina, California. Shortly after, on July 14, 1973, Jim married the first love of his life, Elizabeth Bruhwiler, making her daughter Amanda his first child. After their marriage, they were stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas, where Jim was trained to be an OR Technician. From here is where his passion for the medical field began. From Texas, they were stationed at Ft. Dix in New Jersey where he first worked as an OR Tech. Then Jim, Elizabeth and Amanda were stationed outside of Stuttgart, Germany where Jim worked as an OR Tech at the 5th General Hospital for two and a half years. While there, his second daughter, Amber was born. When Jim's three year tour of duty was completed, they returned to the United States, to his home state of Colorado. Here, Jim worked with an innovative team of plastic surgeons at St. Anthony's Hospital in Denver. Jim had his own lab, and this team did groundbreaking work re-attaching severed nerves. This is where his master suturing skills were honed. In 1980, Jim et al relocated to Falmouth, Maine. He began working at Mercy Hospital shortly after, and within a few years, found the second love of his life Linda Ruterbories. In November 1993 Jim and Linda were married and they had Jim's third child, his son, Jonathan on May 14, 1996. As a Certified Surgical Assisstant (CSA), Jim worked at Mercy for a short time before eventually joining a new specialty practice group known as Orthopedic Associates (OA). For the better part of 20 years, Jim worked at OA in various roles and became a true staple of the organization and everything it stood for. After his time there, Jim moved with his beloved physician partners, Michael Becker, Peter Guay, Brian McGrory, Don Endrizzi, and George Babikian to help establish a new Joint Replacement Center for Maine Health. For the next eight years, Jim provided quality medical care to literally thousands of patients and became a legend at Maine Medical Center. He cared so incredibly much about each and every one of his patients and was so loved by all of his friends and colleagues. There will truly never be anyone like him.

He will be remembered for his limitless capacity to give of himself and of his knowledge. He was a master diagnostician, and was incredibly wise beyond his years. His intensely intelligent humor will also never be forgotten - his propensity for all forms, appropriate and inappropriate (especially inappropriate) will be carried on by those that knew him best, forever.

He is survived by his son, Jonathan, his daughters, Amber and Amanda, his brother, Dave, both loves of his life, Linda and Elizabeth; his son-in-law, Adrian, his granddaughters, Zoe and Stella, his best friend Russ, his "second daughters" Leah and Alanna; his "at work sons," Chad, Donny, Eric, and Brenton; and all of his incredible work family that are too many to name, but meant the world to him. Also to his ill-behaved dog, Murphy; his cat, Serafina, only referred to as "cat;" and so many other countless individuals to whom he meant the world.

The world will never be the same without him, and although every single person who knew him would give anything to get one more day with him, we are all so incredibly thankful for the time we did have.

Visiting hours celebrating Jim's life will be held on Friday Dec. 14, 2018 from 5-7 p.m., at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday Dec.15, from 12-3 p.m., at Holiday Inn by the Bay, Spring Street, Portland. A Time of Rememberance will be held at 1 p.m., and parking is available. There will be an interment ceremony in the spring at Highland Memorial Cemetery in South Portland. To view Jim's memorial page, or to share an online condolence, please visit www.ConroyTullyWalker.com

In lieu of flowers or cards, his family requests that you instead share with them by social media, text message, mail, in person or other, a story about how Jim touched your life. His memory will live on through the stories that are told, and his family wants to encourage that in any way possible.

Those who wish may make contributions in Jim's memory to:

Special Olympics of Maine

125 John Roberts Road

South Portland, ME 04106