Obituary of James Arthur Rutten

James “Jim” A. Rutten, 60, of Lenexa, Kansas passed away on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Jim was born on January 13, 1960 in Appleton, Minnesota to Leonard and Bonnie (Ewers) Rutten. He graduated from high school in Hiawatha Kansas. Jim went to live with his sister, Jeannine and her husband Tom at their farm northwest of Nortonville. He worked that summer for the bricklayers and construction people that built the Nortonville Christian Church. Jim loved music, played the trombone and received a music scholarship to attend college where he played in Jazz Band and Pep Band at sports events. He enjoyed playing in Racquetball tournaments while attending K-State He furthered his education with an Associates Degree from Cloud County Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Education from Kansas State University, a Computer Science Degree from Tulsa Community College and a Masters in Educational Administration from UMKC (University of Missouri, Kansas City). After college he worked a brief stint as an Assistant Manager for Walmart. He then taught public school in Okmulgee, OK, along with teaching Geography and World History in Okmulgee, Jim coached football, wrestling, and off-season Basketball weight-training. He taught computer literacy in Sand Springs, OK before moving to the Kansas City Area. As an IT professional, he worked for Universal Underwriters Group, Zurich Insurance, Staples Promotional Products, and Scriptpro. While attending K-State, he met what would later be his wife, Cheryl Seger while working together at K-Mart in 1982. It kicked off more than 35 years of adventures for the couple. They were married on April 14, 1984. They had a lot of great trips and vacations over the years to Hawaii, Seattle and Olympic National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Alaskan and Caribbean cruises, trip to Great Britain and London, Mexico - Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen. They enjoyed zoos, aquariums, lighthouses, beaches, historical monuments, national parks, and museums in many places like Boston, Washington DC, Gatlinburg, Chattenooga, San Diego, Monterey Bay, San Francisco, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, New Mexico , and more like trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. There were adventures like riding bicycles down the volcano on Maui where you leave before dawn and cycle all the way to the edge of the ocean by afternoon. They snorkeled in Hawaii, Key West, Key Largo, and Cozumel. Enjoyed a Hawaiian Luau and the Polynesian Village, bicycled around Coronado in San Diego, hiked the temperate rain forests in Olympic National Park, and enjoyed a logging festival they stumbled across in Shelton, Washington. Jim enjoyed woodturning symposiums in Utah, Texas, Colorado, and Kansas; participated in golf leagues and tournaments with co-workers; spent a lot of time playing an on-line interactive computer game with friends, enjoyed watching movies and read many good science-fiction fantasy books. Jim is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl Rutten of Lenexa, Kansas; siblings, John Rutten (Bossier City, LA) and his wife Tami; Jeannine Flory (northwest of Nortonville, KS) and her husband Tom; Joe Rutten (Glendale, AZ), Jeff Rutten (Rosarita, Mexico) and his wife Sonya; Jay Rutten (Rocklin, California) and his wife Paula; father in law and mother in law, Bill and Pat Seger of Coffeyville, Kansas; sister’s-in-law, Elaine Riley (Coffeyville, Kansas) and husband Leon; Pam Armstrong (Houston, Texas) and husband, Howard; numerous nieces, nephews and other close relatives along with his two four-legged, furry-friends, Bridgette and Holly, who are also going to miss him very much. He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Bonnie Rutten and by his brother, Jerry Rutten. Following Jim’s wishes, cremation has taken place and memorial services will be held at a later date for family and friends to pay tribute to his life. The family suggests memorials can be made to the Wayside Waifs 3901 Martha Truman Rd, Kansas City, Missouri 64137 or to an animal shelter of the donor’s choice. Contributions can be left with the funeral home or mailed in care of David W. Barnes Funeral Home 306 N. Cline Rd Coffeyville, Kansas 67337.