On the last day of February our family said goodbye to my Dad...Harold Dyson Rutter, Jr. He passed away on Sunday, February 12, 2016 at the age of 88 years old, surrounded by loved ones, at his home in Fort Mill, SC.

He was born in Altoona, Pa. on February 9, 1929 to Harold Dyson Rutter, Sr. and Clair Helen (Croyle) Rutter. He was the first-born son of four children to whom he was very close. His oldest sister Joyce Arlene (Rutter) Shiplett lives in Kingston, PA; and youngest brother Gene Rutter lives in Raleigh, NC. His youngest sister, Edris (Rutter) Colyer, precedes him in death.

Harold never met a stranger he didn’t like, was a seeker of information, a treasure trove of knowledge and was always ready with a hug or time for a conversation. Upon graduating from Altoona High School, he volunteered and was accepted to the US Navy during WWII for the Submarine Service. He felt fortunate to serve on three different submarines, the USS Corsair SS435, the USS Trumptfish SS425, and a captured German U-Boat, USS Ex-U2513. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-2513

Following his honorable discharge from the service he attended Penn State University and worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad. It was during this time that he met and married the love of his life Dorla Rose Albright on May 26, 1956 in Winchester, VA. They both enjoyed playing card games, dancing, singing, Mexican train and their family.

International Business Machines (IBM) employed him from 1959 until 1991. During his time with IBM he worked in both New York and Virginia but spent a majority of his career in San Jose, CA as an engineer. Following retirement and years of global travel, he and Dorla moved to Fort Mill, SC where they made great connections in the American Legion, the VFW in Fort Mill, the Fort Mill Moose Lodge and the Carolina Piedmont Submarine Veterans Base. These organizations of caring peers continued to be a part of his life especially as his health began to fail.

He is survived by his wife, Dorla Rutter, his children; John Hammel and wife Jean of Lake Wylie, SC; Tom Hammel and his wife, Debra of Benson, AZ; Randy Rutter of San Jose, CA.; Dawn Kincade and husband, John of Vacaville, CA. and Shawn Rutter and his wife, Rebecca of Charlotte, NC. Harold’s family has extended to 14 grandchildren and countless great grandchildren. His grandson, Evan Kincade of Vacaville, CA. precedes him in death.

I want to thank my Uncle Gene Rutter for all that he did as he officiated, organized and helped us honor our Dad in a way that was traditional but also showed the fun, adventurous and loving man that he was and will always be to those who loved him.

We love you, Dad. Thank you for the love that you gave so freely to all who knew you and for your service to our country.

Each Summer for the last few years I have had the privilege of taking my parents to my Dad's family reunion in Pennsylvania. Every year it is held in the small town of Altoona, nestled at the bottom of the beautiful Allegheny Mountains. It is also the next door neighbor to Holidaysburg, the home of the Slinky http://americanprofile.com/articles/home-of-the-slinky/ Both of my parents are from Altoona, which got a mention in the movie "Flashdance" and is home to the World Famous Horseshoe Curve. http://www.railroadcity.com/visit/world-famous-horseshoe-curve/. This year it was really sweet to have my mom with me in the car as we drove through old neighborhoods and heard stories of her childhood.

My dad, started his career with the Pennsylvania railroad in Altoona, after returning from serving in the Navy, on a submarine. It has been such a great experience for me to travel with them for so many reasons but the best reason is I have such fond memories of my visits to Altoona as a child. Both sets of grandparents lived and died here and it has been a beautiful thing to experience with my parents the place they have always known as "Home".

This year, it was important for me to capture the moments not just with photos but with stories of my parents and their lives. To know the different yet interconnected ways that they saw themselves and how their siblings saw them. My son mentioned to me an app called https://storycorps.org which allows you the ability to interview people and take photos of the interview participants with your smartphone or tablet. The quality of the recording is great and you can send the interview content to the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to keep forever.

Another great thing about these journeys has been to reconnect with my cousins, aunts, uncle and to just be family. My Aunt, who has always been the organizer of these reunions, is having a harder time getting around. She has done such a great job of organizing these reunions and I so appreciate her desire to have the family come together. Although it was a hard trip for my parents we had the best time. My father looks forward to this all year long and he needed this time of connection as he was given a terminal diagnosis just two weeks prior to us leaving. This time spent with his siblings. nieces and nephew was so important for him. We again made the journey....traveling along the Blue Ridge Mountain and over the Allegheny Mountains....continuing to make memories as we go.

My Dad's Navy snapshot. This is not my photo but a scanned copy. Photo credit to the Navy.

My Mom as a young girl. This is not a photo that I took. This is a scanned copy of an original that photo.

This is the place is the home that my maternal grandmother lived for most of her days. I remember as a child looking out the window seat on the second floor and watching the traffic and sometimes the snow fall outside.

My Dad's childhood home.

Stained Glass Window

This window is so vivid for me from childhood. My grandparents home was so dark but this window would allow rays of color into the house and bright up the foyer.

The grave marker of my maternal grandparents in Altoona, PA.

Headstone of my paternal grandparents. Photo credit goes to my cousin Michelle. Thank you!

My childhood friend..

This is my oldest and dearest friend. We have known each other since 6th grade. The sweet baby in this photo is her granddaughter who I had the pleasure of photographing when she was born last year. Such a blessing for her to see my parents.

My Aunt Joyce.

My cousins and Uncle looking at old photos.

My Dad and Aunt.

The couple standing are my Aunt Donna and Uncle Gene. My Aunt Joyce is to the left, my mom is in the middle, my dad to the right. My parents just celebrated 60 years of marriage this last Memorial Day weekend and my Aunt Donna and Uncle Gene got married the same year one week later at the same church as my folks in Winchester, VA.