Diane Kay Rutledge

Diane Kay Rutledge, born on December 8, 1950, of Springfield, IL, passed away on February 3, 2026, after a hard-fought battle with ALS.

As the former School Superintendent of District 186, Diane gave her life’s work to serving others, our students, our schools, and our community. The impact she made can’t be measured by titles or awards alone, but by the countless lives she lifted, the doors she opened, and the hope she planted along the way. District 186 is better because of her, and her legacy will keep showing up in our classrooms, our leaders, and our community for years to come.

As superintendent, Diane was a shining example for our school district and community. We lost a devoted educator and community member, a mentor, and a dear friend. Diane’s passion to improve the lives of those around her was evident in the work she did every day.

From the classroom to the superintendent’s office, her life’s work was a love letter to District 186. Beginning as a teacher at Dubois, she poured into students with heart and purpose, then went on to champion gifted programs, support schools as an assistant principal, and lead Owen Marsh with steady, compassionate leadership.

Her commitment to District 186 continued to grow serving as Assistant Superintendent in multiple roles, shaping curriculum, strengthening school operations and advancing innovation in our elementary schools. As Deputy Superintendent and later Superintendent of Schools, she guided with wisdom, integrity, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every student and educator.

For more than three decades, she helped shape District 186, nurture it, and guide generations of students and staff to become who they were meant to be. Her legacy lives on in our schools, our community and the countless lives she touched.

In her retirement, she led the Large Unit District Association for ten years. She continued her advocacy for public education by lobbying on behalf of PK-12 large districts and mentoring superintendents across the State of Illinois. Diane served on countless state-wide committees and commissions including the P-20 Council, which advocated for a pipeline from preschool through college and career, focusing on aligning policies, improving student readiness, closing achievement gaps, and strengthening teacher quality.

Beyond her extraordinary leadership in District 186, Diane’s commitment to our community was just as powerful and far reaching. She showed up, leaned in, and led with heart across countless organizations and boards, including Springfield Public Schools Foundation, Memorial Health Systems, Wooden It Be Lovely, United Way of Central Illinois, the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Springfield Children’s Museum, Springfield Area Arts Council, Leadership Springfield, and more. Her service reflected a lifelong belief that strong schools grow from strong communities.

That same spirit of service and excellence was recognized again and again through honors like the First Citizen Award, the Illinois State Board of Education’s Those Who Excel Award of Excellence, the Good as Gold Lifetime Achievement Award, the Athena Award, and Western Illinois University’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

Diane is survived by her husband, Steve; brother, Stephan (Jeanne) Jurkins; sister, Sandy (John) Croxton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will host funeral services at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 533 S. Walnut St. Springfield, IL at 11:00 AM, on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

Diane Kay Rutledge (nee Jurkins) - Tribute Video

To view the service, please visithttps://www.youtube.com/live/FqEDPHEdhKM

The bulletin can be found at www.wpcspi.org

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Les Turner ALS Foundation, 5550 W. Touhy Ave., Skokie, IL 60077, lesturnerals.org