Harry "Bud" E. Rutenbeck's Obituary
Harry E. “Bud” Rutenbeck, 96, of Clinton passed away, Friday, October 8, 2021 at Country Manor – Davenport, Iowa.
A visitation will be Sunday, October 17, 2021, from 3:00-5:00pm at the Clinton Chapel Snell-Zornig Funeral Homes & Crematory. A Funeral Mass will be 11:00am, Monday, October 18, 2021 at Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Clinton. A luncheon will follow the services in the parish hall. Private family burial will take place at the St. Irenaeus Catholic Cemetery.
Harry, a long-time Clinton businessman, was born in Lost Nation, Iowa, on September 18, 1925 the son of Harry and Leta (Graft) Rutenbeck. “Bud” grew up with two brothers: Bob and Bill, and graduated from Lost Nation High School in 1943.
Bud entered the United States Navy during World War II receiving basic training at Farragut Naval Training Center in Idaho, and advanced training in signal school at the same base. He was later transferred into the Navy Armed Guard signal school at Treasure Island in San Francisco. He then served as a signalman aboard a Liberty ship, The S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien, hauling supplies, tanks, troops, and ammunition in the South Pacific and Philippines for 15 months.
He entered the University of Iowa in 1946 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1950. He was a member of Sigma Delta Chi professional journalism fraternity. Upon graduating he joined the Davenport Daily Times as a reporter/photographer, and later worked as a public relations representative with International Harvester, and sales rep with Penn Controls in Goshen, Indiana for four years before returning to Clinton.
Bud married his wife, the former Jacqueline Mousel of Clinton, in Estes Park, Colorado on September 13, 1951. They were married for over 65 years until her passing on July 9, 2017. Together, they owned and operated a women’s specialty shop, Beez-Mousel, for 37 years in Clinton’s Lyons District. The three-generation family owned business, started in 1884 as a millinery shop by Jackie’s grandmother, Martha Beez, came to an end in late 1993 after 108 years upon Bud and Jackie’s retirement.
Bud was a 50+ year member of the Clinton Regional Development Corporation and served numerous years and terms as a board member. Members of the CRDC and the Iowa DOT nicknamed Bud the “Father of Transportation” of Clinton, Iowa. He was a 42 year member of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, serving terms as an executive committee member, transportation committee chairman, and various other committees under several different chamber presidents. He was a career-long member of the Lyons Business and Professional Association and former president.
Other terms were served on the board of the Gateway United Way, Salvation Army advisory board, and a founding member of the first Big Brother organization in Clinton. He served as business chairman of the Mercy Hospital Building Fund campaign when that successful project resulted in the replacement of the old original hospital. He also had many year memberships with the Clinton Rotary Club and Clinton Country Club serving board terms with both organizations. He enjoyed tennis, skiing, biking, and the great outdoors. In 1937, Bud saw Nile Kinnick play football in Iowa City and became a lifelong loyal Hawkeye fan and contributor to the Iowa Hawkeye athletic programs.
He is survived by his children: Mark (Denise) Rutenbeck of Clinton, Carol (Ted) Lauder of Wheaton, Illinois, and Susan (Bruce) Baldwin of Longmont, Colorado, five grandchildren: John, Jackie, Christie, Julianne, and Grace; four great-grandchildren: London, Leo, Lucy, and Jack. In addition to his wife Jackie, he was preceded in death by his parents, an infant son: Eric John, his brothers: William of California and Robert of Washington.
Memorials can be made to the Bob Finch Memorial Fund for MS (thefinchfund.org), The Rotary Club of Clinton, Iowa Charitable Foundation (rotaryclubofclinton.com) or Information Referral and Assistance Services (irasclinton.com).
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