Lillian Rutledge

Lillian Loretha (Snowder) Rutledge was born to Floyd and Gracie Snowder on December 2, 1925, in Fairacres, New Mexico. Lillian's parents moved from Henrietta, Oklahoma to Fairacres, New Mexico in 1924. In 1928, the Snowder family moved to Garfield, New Mexico and then to Rincon, New Mexico in 1931. Lillian had five sons. She was preceded in death by two sons: Delton Artie Cantrell and Gordon Mathis Cantrell. Lillian is survived by three sons: Ronny McDowell of Rincon, New Mexico; Harold McDowell of Sterling, Alaska; and John Gardner of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. As with many in America, life took Lillian many places in this world, but the one thing that did not change in her life was her devotion to her family and to our Lord Jesus Christ. Her faith brought her through life's many trials, and she brought her family through those trials with her. Lillian taught her sons to be thoughtful, compassionate, and caring to all and to live by God's holy word. Because of our mother's influence, each of her five boys left her home with the skills and tools to forge our lives into being children, then men, and ultimately American citizens she, as our precious Mother, could be proud of. Lillian will be missed greatly but will always be remembered by her family and her friends as a shining example for surviving life's turmoil's through faith and living by her convictions, a legacy passed to her by her parents and one she passed on to her children. One of Lillian's favorite Bible verses was Luke 2: 29, 30 - "When man has lived a long and useful life his entrance into eternity is the answer to the oft-repeated sigh ‘Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace for my eyes have seen thy salvation.'" We hope that Lillian's life will always serve as an example to others, through all of life's darkest moments and through life's happiest moments, to remember to keep your eyes upon Jesus and be a servant of the Lord and experience the salvation of God.