Lesley Wayne Rutherford

Lesley Wayne Rutherford, age 69 of Muscle Shoals, passed away Monday, July 19, 2021. His family will receive friends for visitation Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at Woodward Ave Baptist Church from 1:00-2:30. The funeral will begin at the church at 2:30 with Bro. Tom Whatley and Bro. Will Rushing officiating. Burial will follow in Colbert Memorial Gardens.

Lesley was a lifetime member of Woodward Avenue Baptist Church. He retired from Norfolk Southern after 39 years of service and was an avid Alabama football fan.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Dorothy Rutherford; and twin brother, Leon Rutherford.

Lesley is survived by his wife of 39 years, Sharon Wilson Rutherford; sister, Peggy Schmidlkofer; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Charles Erwin, Brenda and Don Simpson, Amanda Mann, Kathy and Jerry Crittenden; and a host of nieces and nephews. He leaves to cherish his memory very special friends, Bettye and Rick “His Buddy” Ethridge, and also Brianna and Damon Daniel who lovingly named him “Forrest.”

Pallbearers will be Rick Ethridge, Tyler Mann, Charles Erwin, Don Simpson, Wade Reid, and Eric Balentine.  Honorary Pallbearers will be the Men’s Primetime Sunday School Class, the Thursday Night Supper Club, and his Rook buddies, along with Jerry Crittenden, Bobby Cagle, and Jerry Nelson.

A special thank you is given to Dr. Wesley Desselle, Dr. Felix Morris, Dr. Gabriel Ionescu and the ICU staff, the medical staff, and nurses on the 5th floor at North Alabama Medical Center.

We would also like to thank all of our neighbors at PP and our church family at Woodward Ave Baptist Church for their many acts of love and kindness during Lesley’s illness.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in honor of Effie Nesin to Hope for HIE Foundation, P.O. Box 250472, West Bloomfield Township, MI 48325 or in honor of Cooper Simpson, UCP Center, 507 North Hook St. Tuscumbia, AL 35674.

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