Charles "Buff" Rutledge
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Charles "Buff" Rutledge, 84, of Mooresville, passed peacefully from this life in the comfort of his home, while surrounded by his loving family. He was born in Plainfield, Indiana on September 23, 1936 to the late Paul M. and Lessie B. (Short) Rutledge.
Raised in Morgan County, Charles attended Mooresville High School, graduating with the class of 1954. A self-driven, ambitious athlete, he excelled in sports, lettering in track, basketball, football, and baseball. It was there he met his future wife, Sara. The two took an interest in each other while hanging around their circle of friends. They dated for two years and were joyously united in marriage on December 28, 1956. Purchasing land in the countryside, Charles and Sara built their forever home, where they have lived for 56 years.
During high school, Charles worked for Allison Tire Co., later as a laborer, before finding his true meaning in Ironworking, joining the Local 22. In 1992, he was forced to retire after falling nearly five stories in an accident at work. A man of devout faith, he was a life member of Mooresville Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Strong willed and independent, Charles did things his way, rarely accepting help. He continued his love of sports, coaching his children's little league teams. He served as president of the Mooresville Basketball League, was posted on the Wall of Success in 2016, and was inducted into the Mooresville Hall of Fame in 2018.
Smart, tough and quick witted, Charles' dry sense of humor invoked many laughs through the years. Intelligent and creative, Sara often referred to him as "MacGyver". Although he was a strict father, he loved his family deeply, raising his three children to be fine upstanding people. He will be deeply missed.
Along with his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his sister, Julie Ledbetter.
Charles leaves behind his beloved wife and best friend of 64 years, Sara (Bell) Rutledge of Mooresville; children, Charrisse "Charrie" Smith of Mooresville, Mark Rutledge of Pittsboro, and Mike Rutledge of Coral Springs, Florida; sisters, Pauline Chattin of Monrovia, and Donna Dunbar (Steve) of Bloomington; grandchildren, Brittney and Richard Smith, and Hailey and Chase Rutledge; great grandchildren, Raina, Breeze, Logan, and Kai.
Funeral Arrangements are entrusted to Light Memorial & Funeral Chapel in Monrovia. Friends and family are invited to gather for a Graveside Service on Friday, January 8, at 1:00pm in White Lick Cemetery, Mooresville, and Mike Earls will officiate. Due to current county and state COVID-19 guidelines, public gatherings have been limited to contain no more than 25 people. All attendees are required to provide and wear their own facial masks throughout the duration of services. Please be mindful of social distancing and avoid all personal contact to slow the spreading of the virus. To share a favorite story, send an online condolence, or light a candle in his memory visit www.lightmemorial.com.