Pearl “Eileen” Rutledge, passed away on February 4^th, after a 19 year battle with PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). Eileen was born on September 24, 1941, in Blackfoot, Idaho, to Lois and Kenneth Spraker. Eileen graduated for the Blackfoot High School in 1959 with honors. She was in the top 10 of her class. Upon graduation, she began work at the Kirkham Auto Parts store until she turned 18. At that time, she began work with the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in Idaho Falls. Upon returning from a trip to Europe in 1961, Eileen became engaged to Jimmy Dorsey Rutledge, from Atlanta, Georgia. Jimmy was stationed in the U.S. Navy at the National Reactor Testing Station. Eileen and Jim were married in April 1962. In December 1964, Jim was transferred to New London, Connecticut, where they resided for just less than a year. From Connecticut they went to Honolulu, Hawaii, where Eileen had her dream job. She worked for the Political Advisor’s Office at the Commander In Chief Pacific, during the Vietnam War, for a year prior to returning to Idaho and her job at the Atomic Energy Commission. They remained in Idaho for the next four years where Jim attended Idaho State University and their first child, Jeff, was born. Jim then accepted a job in Monroeville, Pennsylvania where their daughter, Jill, was born. In 1972, they moved to Richland where she resumed her career with the Department of Energy. In 1989, Eileen was introduced to and fell in love with Los Cabos, Mexico and started going there regularly. In 1997, she and Jim purchased a villa on the beach in San Jose’ del Cabo. After her retirement, in 1995, she was spending the whole winter there until her physical condition made it too difficult in 2010.

Eileen was preceded in death by her parents Kenneth and Lois Spraker of Blackfoot, Idaho.

She is survived by her husband Jimmy (JD), daughter Jill (Henry Russell), son Jeff (Beth), granddaughter Aryelle, great grand-daughter Challie, sister Kathy (Terry Salisbury) and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Einan’s at Sunset in the Events at Sunset facility on the by-pass highway on February 24^th, at 11:00AM and will be followed by lunch.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to CurePSP (www.psp.org) in Eileen’s name.