Dorothy Ann Rutledge's Obituary
Dorothy (Marts) Rutledge 87, went to be with her family in heaven on January 29, 2025. She was born March 19, 1937, to Lester and Gertie (Hinshaw) Marts in Winfield, Kansas.
She grew up in Chanute, Kansas and married Bill McCann and out of that union she had 3 sons; Billy, infant son Ricky (who died at birth) and Roger. Later she married Carl Smoot, and he adopted the 2 boys. Dorothy worked as a CNA at the hospital in Chanute. Later moving to San Antonio, Texas where she worked as a checker at HEB Grocers. She retired two times. Once to come back to Chanute to care for her parents and then after Carl’s passing. She rekindled a love for her high school sweetheart, Howard Rutledge, and later married and moved back to Chanute. Dorothy was always a busy person, when she wasn’t doing something for someone, she was making her famous pecan rolls and giving them away or peanut butter cookies. She was always saying, “how can I help”. She also worked at T&M Discount till their closing.
Dorothy is survived by her son, Roger Smoot, daughter, Olivia Stier-Smart, stepdaughter, Jill Rutledge, stepson, John (Donna) Rutledge, sister, Jackie Berthot, brother, Robert (Jackie) Marts, daughter in-law, Kaye Smoot, sister in-laws, Marlene Marts, and Carla McKinney, grandchildren, Scherauna Roberts, BJ (Heather) Smoot, Erica (Werner) Sopon, and Nicole Stier, great granddaughters, Amanda Roberts, and Isabell Sopon, step great grandchildren, Shaelyn, Dallas, Gabriel, and Jeremiah Nicol, and 2 special people, Jeff and Patty Berthot.
She was preceded in death by her parents, sons, Billy and Ricky, husbands, Carl Smoot and Howard Rutledge, brother, Roy Marts and stepson, Jeffery Rutledge.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Countryside Funeral Home and a Celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held on February 8th at 2:00 pm at Reachout Christian Church in Chanute. She was loved by many and will be missed. We know she is finally out of pain that she suffered for so many years.
Dorothy loved her church, memorial contributions can be left in Dorothy’s name to the Reachout Christian Church.
What’s your fondest memory of Dorothy?
What’s a lesson you learned from Dorothy?
Share a story where Dorothy's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Dorothy you’ll never forget.
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