Mary Rutherford

Born in Nashville, TN on May 2, 1929

Departed on September 2, 2018 and resided in Nashville, TN

Mary Louise Manlove Rutherford died Saturday evening, September 2, 2018, after a brief illness, literally surrounded by her loving family. She was a devoted parent and grandmother and a woman possessed of an inquisitive mind, a keen intellect, and a quiet elegance.

A native of Nashville, she had already by her teenage years lived in China, Hawaii, and New York, following her naval officer father during the years prior to World War II. Always a serious artist, she studied under Puryear Mims, Eugene Biel-Bienne, and her good friend Ljubica Popovich, earning an MA in art history from Vanderbilt. She participated in many exhibitions and owned an art gallery in Nashville for several years with her dear friend Mary Anne Capeci and others, but perhaps her greatest artistic achievement was to design, in her mid-20s, a beautiful contemporary house in which she lived for sixty years. The bulk of her work, however, consisted in raising and educating three children who could not have had a more excellent or beloved mother.

She was predeceased by her cherished brother Bob Manlove, her adored parents Mayme and Dr. Will Manlove, and her husband of sixty years Dr. Ken Rutherford. She is survived by her children Sam (Susan) Rutherford, Kate (Rod) Wilkins, and Susan (John) Gianikas, and five grandchildren, Sam, Will, and Lyn Rutherford (Geoff Meldahl); Paul Wilkins; and Lilly Gianikas.

Visitation will be Thursday 5:00-7:00 pm and again on Friday from 10:00-11:00 with a Graveside service beginning at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the charity of your choice.