Ruther Ethlic Turner

Ruther Turner age 91 passed away Friday June 17, 2016 at the family residence. He was a dedicated Christian Artist that resided in Cleveland, TN for fifty years. He worked on many local and regional artistic projects. Ruther also occasionally wrote poetry, sculpted, and lectured or created large certificates of achievement with his personal style of calligraphy. Some may remember that he taught painting and calligraphy at Cleveland State Community College for 22 years. The rough and ready Ruther was raised in Eastern Kentucky with nine other siblings. His mother died of Small Pox at age 4 and his father remarried and filled the house with opportunity for hard knocks. He traded his jeans for a US Marine uniform in 1942 after he skipped school to sign up. He swore he would never wear jeans again because that's all he had for every day of life till he was 17. His fighting spirit led to a rowdy altercation with an abusive Sargent on a Saipan beach, so Ruther was sent to be court martialed. The investigation exonerated him and he was transferred to a new unit after a hearing with the Colonel. It was beneficial that that commander turned out to be his high school basketball coach. Sometime after he was transferred his original unit suffered 98 percent casualties on Iwo Jima. Ruther ended up an MP and was eventually assigned to Tinian Air Base guarding the Enola Gay. He was mustered out in 1946 and returned to finish high school where he boxed and played basketball. Ruther graduated from Lee University in 1951. He also studied at Western Kentucky University and Dayton Art Institute. He always wanted to be an artist and spent years practicing on railroad coal cars as a kid near the mines in Kentucky. He wanted a real art education and on the way to it the Lord found him struggling. Then He set up circumstances which led Ruther to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and eventually Lee College. Ruther traveled and ministered through art all across the East Coast and parts of the Midwest. He settled in Southern Ohio after he turned 30. Then he met Myra. She was all that he wanted so they got married and started a family. In 1966 they headed to Cleveland with Aaron, Paul and Ramona where Ruther started working for the Church of God Art Department. He turned out to be a little too independent for graphic arts.So Ruther started networking and moving his talents around town and making friends. He was the Charter President of the Cleveland Toastmasters and one of the original members of Westmore Church of God. He did extensive art work and artistic projects for the Church of God of Prophecy as well and painted murals in several of the local Baptist churches. Occasionally he spent summers working in Ohio on various projects, signs and murals. He loved art poetry and did the best he could to dedicate his talents to it the Glory of God. Sometimes he would give a sermon while painting or he would illustrate for another minister during the service. His favorite time was the unveiling of a work or the special program for his project. His all time favorite was making a 22 foot rocket appear to take off from the stage at the Church of God of Prophecy General Assembly in 1974. Many times over the past 50 years the Cleveland Daily Banner published a story on his work. We know he hoped his art work and poetry was a blessing and a message to those who could enjoy it. Mayor Harry Dethero called him Poet Laureate of Cleveland due to the many poems and certificates he circulated among his friends and customers. The main focus of his art was ministry. He also closely worked for many years with the late Rev. Littlefield. He worked the storehouse for the needy, gave out Christmas presents each year for many years at the old Armory or Mayfield School, and he did special projects for others and provided relief and ministry needs that are only known to the Lord. The most astounding success in his life was his relationships with friends and family. His family adores him and he has been the most blessed and engaging father. He wrested, teased, joked and played his way into the hearts of those he loved and did his absolute best to engage them both physically and spiritually. He had tragedy, miserable outcomes with this and that and he suffered personal illness and endured trying times with patience, faith and charity with the hope of it all ending in the gracious will of the Lord. This we know and we hope that your experience with him was as beneficial to you as it was for us. We think that in many ways Ruther Turner did his best to make Cleveland a better place. Although he endured some hard times and often worked in the shadows, he kept the faith and fought the good fight. The greatest times of his life were here as well and we shared in those with joy, laughter, and heartfelt tears. Ruther enjoyed Cleveland and we like to think the people of Cleveland enjoyed having him here too.The later years brought dementia and memory issues but never a moment did he forget to love and cherish Myra and their children and grandchildren or respect and adore his friends. He listened, he practiced, he taught, he praised, and he worshiped all the way till the end. We are here, we are loving, and we are sharing in the blessings and spontaneity of Ruther Turner. Ruther is survived by Myra, their Children Paul and Ramona and their families. He is preceded by his son Aaron who passed in May of 2015. Ramona Clanton and her spouse Randy have two Children, Daniel and Cody Clanton, and they also have two grandchildren by Daniel and Casey Clanton. They are James and Asher Clanton. Paul and his wife Beverly have three Children. They are Travis, Marcus and Ana. A Remembrance of Life Service will be held at 1 o’clock Wednesday at Jim Rush Funeral and Cremation Services North Ocoee St. Chapel with Pastor Wendell Smith officiating. The entombment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5 until 8pm at the funeral home.Read Obituary