Norma Abrams Rutter passed away peacefully at home on November 11, 2017, surrounded by her adoring family.  Her final moments were spent reaching out individually to each of her children and grandchildren with words of love, affirmation and encouragement.

Norma was born on July 15, 1933 in Waco, Texas to Norman Hughes and Vera Estelle Abrams, the middle daughter of three girls.  She left Texas to attend Christian College in Columbia, Missouri where she excelled academically, modeled for a local clothing store and developed many close friendships. It was in Columbia where she met the love of her life, Donald Edmond Rutter, a farm boy with an infectious smile who played football for the University of Missouri.  He charmed her with his happy nature and kind heart.  Don and Norma married in January of 1953 and moved to the Rutter family farm in Shelbina, Missouri.

Determined to be a wonderful farm wife to Don, Norma began her long term career as a great cook, hostess and homemaker.  They started their family in 1954 and gave birth to a daughter and then a son while living on the farm.  In 1957, the couple made a decision to leave the farm and begin a corporate career with Wilson Meatpacking Co. They were blessed with a second daughter in 1961.  As Don advanced in the company, the family moved seven different times over a fourteen-year period finally landing in Marshall, Missouri in 1973 where Don opened a new Wilson plant as GM with Norma at his side. Through all of these moves, Norma was the heart of the family creating a stable and joyful home base.

While in Marshall, Norma and Don developed a wonderful network of friends and became very involved in their church.  In 1985, they decided to leave corporate life and become entrepreneurs purchasing and developing a successful Servpro franchise – Servpro of Marshall.

In support of Don, Norma demonstrated yet another talent…a knack for business and working with numbers. During this period she was honored by Servpro Corporate as national “Female Trainer of the Year”.

The first of eight Grandchildren began to arrive in 1987.  All three children and their families made frequent visits from Kansas City to Marshall to be welcomed with unconditional love, and enjoy delicious meals and homemade cookies.  Grandchildren remember hours of fun playing with MomMom at the Park and enjoying board games like “Pretty Pretty Princess.”  Frequent trips were also made by MomMom and DadDad from Marshall to Kansas City to watch their grandchildren’s theater performances, recitals, sporting events and to celebrate birthdays. MomMom was everyone’s greatest fan.

Life lessons taught by Norma are captured in the following quotes written by her children:

“Through your example you have taught me the value of inner beauty that comes from pursuing goodness and a life of love, service, faith and gratitude.”

“Your love for me taught me how to love others despite their shortcomings.”

”You have given me the greatest gifts…life, love, and faith.”

Words to describe Norma by her friends include:  Heroic, the best Christian I have ever known, brave, unselfish, beautiful, gracious, warm, genuine, elegant, special, thoughtful, comforting, loving, proud, supportive, and precious.

In 2013, Don and Norma celebrated their 60 year wedding anniversary and shortly after moved to Village Shalom in Kansas City to be closer to their 3 children and to needed healthcare providers.  Norma’s tender and patient care for Don even while battling multiple myeloma herself was an inspiration to many and an example to all of her children and grandchildren of true married devotion.

Norma was preceded in death by her husband, Don Rutter, and her parents, Vera and Norman Abrams.  She is survived by her sisters, Anne Johnson (Bill) and Betty Clo Jarrell, her children, Clo Whitaker (Jack), Rick Rutter, and Susan Satterlee (George), and her grandchildren, Andrew Satterlee (Betsy), Adam Whitaker (Jen), Rachael Dekoning (Dylan), Suzanne Taylor (Jonathan), Sarah Chaffee (Tom), Kelsey Whitaker, Marshall Rutter, and Morgan Rutter

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm on December 28^th in the Sanctuary of Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd., Prairie Village Kansas 66208.

Memorials are suggested to Village Church Endowment Trust.