Thomas J. Rutz

1934 - 2021

Thomas John Rutz passed from our earthly plane at 10am Sunday December 26, 2021. He was distintively born among the "Silent Generation" on January 3rd, 1934 in Allentown, Pennsylvania to the late Athanisius and Catherine (nee Bauer) Rutz. He was preceded in death by a son Jonathan. He and his lovely wife, the late Joan Marie (nee Snee) Rutz raised four children to independent adulthood in Whitehall, Pennsylvania.

During his childhood years, he watched WW2 aircraft flying overhead. After high school, he joined the air force and served as an Airman First Class in Okinawa, Japan during the Korean conflict. He spent much of his work life maintaining corporate business jets for Bethlehem Steel. He enjoyed fishing when his children were young; they were his pride and joy. Each year, he delighted in providing a Christmas celebration for his family, including cooking holiday meals. His true passion was wooden sailing ships and he was an avid model-builder. His final model was years in the making: the USS Constitution. This model is 4 ft long, 3 ft tall, and 2 ft wide. The hull was built plank-by-plank, the rigging tied gingerly and precisely, and that ship is a prized family heirloom.

He was blessed with a second marriage and they enjoyed a long and happy time living together in peace and harmony.

He is survived by his beloved and devoted wife Althea M. (German) Rutz and his children: Regina Marie (nee Rutz) Belitz; Christopher Thomas Rutz; Timothy Joseph Rutz; and Jennifer Ann (nee Rutz) Youwakim. He is also survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services and internment are private at Saint Peter's Catholic Cemetary in Coplay, Pennsylvania.