In Memoriam
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War solemnly recognizes the passing of Past Department Commander John Charles Rutherford on Saturday, March 8, 2025. PDC Rutherford served his Department and the National Organization with excellence. Of particular note, PDC Rutherford was the Host Committee Chair for the 2001 National Encampment in Springfield, Missouri.
Brother Rutherford’s lifelong love of history and the Civil War drew him to our Order, becoming a Charter Member of the Phelps Camp 66 and serving as Missouri Department Commander in 1999 and 2000. Over the years, Brother John worked for the National Park Service at Stones River National Battlefield, Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, and Antietam National Battlefield. He retired in 2022 after a decades’-long career in the Springfield-Greene County Library's Local History Department.