Linda Rutherford, age 72, of Butler

 Linda Rutherford, 72, of Butler, Missouri passed away on October 15^th, 2024 at Appleton City Manor. She passed away peacefully while the song My Jesus by Anne Wilson played in the background.  Cremation, with private family services to be held at a later date.  Arrangements entrusted to Mullinax Funeral Home, Butler (660-679-0009).  Memorial contributions may be made to Butler Public Library.  Messages of condolence may be left for the family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com

Linda Rutherford was born on August 20^th, 1952 in Pasadena, California, to Vince Smith and Joyce (Aguirre)

She attended Rosemead High School in Rosemead, California. She had a very lucrative work life. She held many jobs such as police officer, recruiter, salesmen & business owner as well as working for several different companies such as Smith Roller Company, Donald Rutherford Company & Police Legal Sciences. She was one of the first women police officers that worked for the El Monte Police Station in LA County, California. Linda devoted much of her life working as a broker selling copiers which she did for 9 years. It was not until 2010 where she really found her passion working for a company called Police Legal Sciences, where she worked as a salesman that sold dispatch training to police stations all over the country. Linda found such happiness and passion in being able to help train people who were in charge of saving people’s lives on a daily basis. She retired happily from this company in December of 2021. Linda Rutherford worked hard her entire life and devoted so much time and effort into any job she had. She did all she could to provide for her 10 kids, she always succeeded and she never took no for an answer. 

 Linda’s true passions in life were spending time with family, shopping and talking on the phone. Her 10 children were her life. Even though they were spread all across the country they always made it a point to try to see her and always call her. She loved talking on the phone to all her family and sending very long voicemails to them if they did not answer. You could always find her at a garage sale or ordering anything and everything on amazon and Facebook marketplace. Her English bulldogs held a special place in her heart. She loved listening to live music at The Wine Journal and watching anything from her extensive DVD collection.

             Linda was preceded in death by her husband, Donald Raymond Rutherford Senior. She is survived by her parents, Vince & Joyce Smith (Riverside, California); her brother, Robert Smith (Riverside, California); her 10 children, Christine Abrams (St. Maries, Idaho), Cindy Mireles (Casa Grande, Arizona), Mike Mireles (San Diego, California), Lisa Calbick (Moscow, Idaho), Kimberly Castro (Tempe, Arizona), Jeanette Mireles (Lawrence, Kansas), Kenny Mireles (Marshall, Minnesota), Kathleen Mireles-Busick (Butler, Missouri), DJ Rutherford (Jersey City, New Jersey) and Ashley Robles (Las Vegas, Nevada). She is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

             Linda had a beautiful soul and touched anyone that she met. She had charisma, loved deeply, a beautiful smile and was willing to do anything for the people that she loved. She was down to earth and put out enough love for multiple lifetimes. She will be forever missed and never forgotten.