Theodore Hastings Rutherford

​Theodore Hastings Rutherford was born October 11, 1922 in Denver, Colorado to Carl Boatman Rutherford and Lyndona Hastings Rutherford. Ted attended North High School in Denver, and served as an Army Medic in Germany and France in World War II. Ted moved to Long Beach, California with his family in 1948 and attended Long Beach City College where he earned an AA in Chemistry.

Ted worked as a Chemist for Philtro Corporation until 1961. He then was a Chemist at UCLA in the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Biology for 19 years. Ted finished his career at Weber Aircraft and retired in 1987.

Ted and Barbara married August 20, 1960, and moved into their house in Pacoima. Their daughter Laura was born in 1962.

Ted and Barbara were members of Panorama Presbyterian Church for over 40 years, where they had many dear friends, and served in many capacities, including multiple terms as Deacons and Elders. Ted sang in the choir with his beautiful bass voice all of his years at PPC.

In retirement Ted volunteered as a teaching assistant at Vena Avenue Elementary School, and served many years with the Van Nuys Optimists Club. Retirement for Ted and Barbara included many domestic and international trips.

After Barbara’s passing in 2006, Ted moved from Pacoima and had nine full years at Westminster Gardens. He made many friends and continued to follow his passions by singing in the choir and participating with the WG Spelling Team. At age 87 he came in first place for WG at a multi-community spelling bee. He moved from independent living to assisted, and then to memory care while at WG. His final few years he lived at Sunrise in Fullerton, where he continued to sing and play his harmonica, though he continued to slip away mentally.

Life, as Ted saw it, was an opportunity to explore many interests and help many people. Ted loved singing all of his life, and was an avid reader and book lover. Geology, astronomy, gardening, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, word origins and spelling, and cultures of the world, were a few of his many interests. In his 30’s Ted was an award-winning ball room dancer. Ted had a dry sense of humor that was always accompanied by a twinkle in his eyes and that trademark smile.

Ted is survived by his daughter Laura, Son-in-Law Roger, and granddaughters Andrea and Bethann.