2010.10.20: October 20, 2010: Obituary for Malawi RPCV Art Rutkin
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2010.10.20: October 20, 2010: Obituary for Malawi RPCV Art Rutkin
Obituary for Malawi RPCV Art Rutkin
Born in the Bronx, New York, Rutkin attended the city's Hunter College. He intended to get a law degree, but discovered a passion for education while serving in the Peace Corps, teaching at a secondary school in Malawi. Rutkin worked at schools in Maryland, Michigan and Peru before coming to Tigard-Tualatin in 1984. During his time with the district, he won local and national accolades, including a National Blue Ribbon School Award while he was principal at Byrom. He was known for his bushy Albert Einstein mustache, knack for sports trivia and love of the Oregon Ducks. He was also a master coat-zipper-fixer and a slapstick comedian during lunch periods, when he would pick up a banana, place it on his ear, and blurt "Hello?" One of Rutkin's greatest feats was collecting old textbooks to ship to Malawi. After the district adopted a new reading curriculum several years ago, the books were going to be trashed. Rutkin, who was retired, persuaded district officials to let him send them to Africa in two 18-foot shipping containers. That set off the tradition of "Art Rutkin piles" in the schools, where teachers would stack old materials for Rutkin to collect and ship abroad. To his wife and three daughters, Rutkin was the consummate family man, waking up early -- even after he fell ill -- to make pancakes and waffles for his grandchildren. "The schools were always that extended family," said his daughter, Rachael Ager.
Obituary for Malawi RPCV Art Rutkin
Death of beloved principal Art Rutkin leaves fond memories in Tigard-Tualatin School District
Published: Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 3:30 PM Updated: Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 3:42 PM
Kelly House, The Oregonian Kelly House, The Oregonian
TIGARD -- The clink of pocket change will forever spark memories of Principal Art Rutkin.
The familiar jingle was a daily presence in the school halls as Rutkin made rounds, hitting every classroom.
"You always knew when Art was coming down the hall," said Sue Scott, a fifth-grade teacher at Mary Woodward Elementary when Rutkin was principal there. "Then he'd bop in and say 'How you doing?'"
Rutkin died Oct. 17, after a 10-month battle with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. He was 69.
With his passing, the Tigard-Tualatin School District lost one of its most beloved leaders. Rutkin spent 17 years as a principal in the district, serving at Byrom, Phil Lewis, Bridgeport and Mary Woodward elementaries, as well as Hazelbrook Middle School. After his retirement, he served on the school board from 2003 to 2009, until his resignation due to his illness.
Teachers and students thought of Rutkin's pocket full of coins as one of the principal's many quirks. But in hindsight, former Mary Woodward teacher Kim Palumbis said, "that was completely planned out."
"He did that out of respect for everyone, to give everyone the opportunity to know that he was on his way," she said. "He was kind of masterful at that."
Rutkin retired in 2001, but continued to lead afterschool chess programs, coach on his grandchildren's sports teams and volunteer for school causes.
"He wanted to be with the kids," said his wife, Lois Rutkin of Tigard.
After he was elected to the school board, he brought a lifelong educator's voice to the group's discussions and always advocated for teachers and students, board member Barry Albertson said.
"In a way, I was a sort of student of Art Rutkin, and I think a lot of us were," Albertson said.
Born in the Bronx, New York, Rutkin attended the city's Hunter College. He intended to get a law degree, but discovered a passion for education while serving in the Peace Corps, teaching at a secondary school in Malawi.
Rutkin worked at schools in Maryland, Michigan and Peru before coming to Tigard-Tualatin in 1984.
During his time with the district, he won local and national accolades, including a National Blue Ribbon School Award while he was principal at Byrom.
He was known for his bushy Albert Einstein mustache, knack for sports trivia and love of the Oregon Ducks. He was also a master coat-zipper-fixer and a slapstick comedian during lunch periods, when he would pick up a banana, place it on his ear, and blurt "Hello?"
One of Rutkin's greatest feats was collecting old textbooks to ship to Malawi. After the district adopted a new reading curriculum several years ago, the books were going to be trashed. Rutkin, who was retired, persuaded district officials to let him send them to Africa in two 18-foot shipping containers.
That set off the tradition of "Art Rutkin piles" in the schools, where teachers would stack old materials for Rutkin to collect and ship abroad.
To his wife and three daughters, Rutkin was the consummate family man, waking up early -- even after he fell ill -- to make pancakes and waffles for his grandchildren.
"The schools were always that extended family," said his daughter, Rachael Ager.
Rutkin is survived by his wife, Lois; children Rachael and Jason Ager, Sarah and Ben Rough, and Debbie Rutkin; and six grandchildren.
During a memorial service to be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in Tigard High School's Deb Fennell Auditorium, friends, family and colleagues will share memories of Rutkin.
In lieu of flowers, Rutkin's family requests donations be made in his name to the Foundation for Tigard Tualatin Schools.
-- Kelly House
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Headlines: October, 2010; Peace Corps Malawi; Directory of Malawi RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Malawi RPCVs; Obituaries; Education
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Story Source: The Oregonian
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Malawi; Obituaries; Education
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