Dennis W. Rutt passed away on Feb. 28, 2019 while on vacation in Manzanillo, Mexico. He was 67 years old. For many, many years Manzanillo has been his favorite place for R and R while his fellow Oregonians were in the icy rain and gray skies.
Dennis was born in the small town of Aberdeen, Washington on May 6, 1951 to E. Bernadine and William H. Rutt. He attended elementary and high-school in the Parkland area of Tacoma, Washington. After graduating from high-school he moved to Portland, Oregon. Early on he worked at a golf course and became friends with his co-worker Michael Scaicotti. They kept the golf course trimmed and green in the short time they worked together but continued to be friends for over 40 years. Dennis later worked in the window cleaning business on those tall, tall buildings downtown. He was a celebrity for a day when he and his coworker were rescued after the scaffolding malfunctioned and the Portland Fire Department's big ladders were called out to help them get down. He decided that kind of fame wasn't for him and he went to work with Multnomah County Facilities Management where he could keep both feet close to the ground. He worked there for over 20 years. He sincerely enjoyed his "work family" and the many friends he met while working with Multnomah County.
In his younger days, Dennis played bass guitar with a band and sometimes he would even sing! Who knew?! He was always the artist painting pictures with oils, acrylics or watercolor for his friends and family. He was especially talented with pencil and ink sketching. His pencil portraits were amazing. He was an avid reader of history and action-suspense. But music was his love, all kinds of music since he was a teenager. He was keen on Miles Davis and other jazz artists, rock music from the 60's and 70's, and old timey country music. He collected music for over 50 years using all applications, vinyl to CD's to iPod. His custom playlists on cassettes were awesome for traveling. He was never without his music.
Dennis is survived by his sisters, Sheryl Rutt Leckliter, Sun City, Arizona and Sandra Rutt Westfall, Tualatin, Oregon and by his good friend (more like a brother), Pat Tarbell, Klamath Falls, Oregon. His nieces, nephews, aunts, cousins and his merry friends from The Yukon pub will miss his sense of humor and the songs he would randomly sing. He's dearly missed by his family and long-time friends.
Denny would be a little embarrassed by the stories and love we want to share about him and he would probably shake his head and have that well-known grin on his face. So, a casual Celebration of Life gathering for friends and family will be held for Den on April 21st from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM at McMenamin's Old Church restaurant and pub in Wilsonville, Oregon, just south of Portland. Together we can remember his grin.
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