Lasting Memories

Carolyn L. Rutherford
1930-July 24, 2010
Portola Valley, California

Carolyn L. Rutherford, who joined her husband, Robert Rutherford, in founding the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City 40 years ago, died July 24. A resident of The Sequoias in Portola Valley for nine years, Ms. Rutherford was 80.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ms. Rutherford was a graduate of Florida State University. She married Robert Rutherford in 1951 in St. Petersburg, Florida, and lived in Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Egypt, and England, as well as the United States, during the past 49 years.

She was a bi-lingual secretary for many years before joining her husband in founding the Marine Science Institute. More than a million students of all ages discovered the wonders of the San Francisco Bay Estuary through the institute, say family members. Later she worked for the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Los Altos for 15 years.

Ms. Rutherford sang with the Peninsula Women's Chorus for 30 years, as well as in church choirs. She and her husband traveled with the chorus to England and Wales, Europe and Hawaii. Throughout her life she volunteered and gave generously to causes for the poor and human rights, particularly for women and children, say family members. She worked with the Redwood City Library in Project Read and volunteered for Recording for the Blind and Dyslexia, accumulating more than 10,000 hours of recorded reading.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Robert "Bob" Rutherford; sons Tom Rutherford of Michigan and Jeff Rutherford of Santa Barbara; and daughters Janet Rutherford of Portola Valley and Amy Rutherford of Mountain View.