Gladys Rutledge

RALEIGH - Gladys Penland Rutledge, also lovingly known as "Meme" age 95, went to be with her Lord and Savior peacefully at her home on Friday, February 28, 2025. She was born in Yancey County on April 17, 1929, the daughter of the late Arther Clyde Penland and Derfie Willis Penland. She was a proud resident of Raleigh, NC.

Gladys grew up in Asheville, NC and moved to Jacksonville, FL at 21 years of age with her eldest son Melvin. There, she met her late husband Joseph "Jerry" Rutledge. Together, they had three more children and from there moved to Albany, GA, then to Orlando, FL before landing in Raleigh, NC in 1964 where they built the home Gladys has lived in happily for the last 61 years.

Growing up in the North Carolina mountains was quite an experience in 1929 and she loved to share stories about how she grew up in that area. Growing up in a time where a rooster was her alarm clock, and everything from playing outside with her siblings, using indentations in the mountains to getting to the biggest rocks to relying on a fireplace as the only source of warmth was the way of life during that era. She lost her father at age 6 and mother at age 21 but never let their memory die as she shared them with her family often enough that we felt we knew them. Her grandparents, Thomas Clingman Willis and Victoria Melton Willis even lived with her and her siblings for a while after her father's passing. All these lovely people instilled the core family values that we have learned from her example in our lives. Family meant everything to Gladys, and this fact was brought to life effortlessly just by being in her presence. There was always plenty of food, warmth, and a listening ear absolutely anytime you needed one.

Every moment spent with her was treasured. She loved to cook for anyone who walked through her door, sew, took care of children, spend time with her family, being outside working in her yard planting flowers, playing and being silly with a childlike enthusiasm that was infectious, and couldn't wait to have long conversations with anyone who would 'sit down and stay awhile.'

Being a wife and mother was one of God's most important callings for her. She loved all her children with every ounce of her heart's capacity and raised them with the grace she learned from the short amount of time she had with her parents. Gladys was a waitress at Walgreens in Jacksonville, FL in 1953 which is where she met her late husband Joseph "Jerry" Rutledge, and they got married that same year.

Gladys' greatest joy in life (other than her family) was to take care of children. She devoted her life to taking care of not only her own children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, but also the children she looked after at Children's World and then eventually opened up her own business, Ms. Gladys' Daycare so that she could literally bring the ones who were at Children's World to her own home because she had higher standards for what child care should look like. It was quite evident with how she ran her business because they all loved and respected her just as much as she did them. She enjoyed her profession so much that after retiring once, she had a short break and then took herself out of retirement again for several years. Gladys commented often about how she felt very blessed every day she was physically able to continue with her business and knew this was God's calling in her life - to be a champion for children in any and every way she could and showering them with love. She was quoted numerous times during her life stating that, "You are as young as you feel" and "Age is just a number." Her family equates this way of thinking to her success in living such a happy, healthy, long, and wonderful life fully lived.

Gladys joined Saint Andrews United Methodist Church in 1983. She thoroughly loved being involved with her church family and made even more friends and family during this time. She was always inviting anyone whom she had half a conversation with to come to church at any opportunity because she knew how much the love of her Lord changed her life and couldn't wait for anyone else to feel that same intimate relationship with God.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph A. "Jerry" Rutledge; sisters, Grace Marie Penland, Beaula Jean Penland, Stella Penland; and 1 brother, Carmel Clyde Penland.

Gladys is survived by her daughters, Debbie Rutledge Holt and husband, Sam, Sandra "Sandy" Rutledge; sons, Melvin L. Rutledge and wife, Nola, Dennis Jerome Rutledge; 6 grandchildren, Anna Burleson, Melissa Johnson, Samantha Brewer, Tiffany Adams, Paul Rutledge, and Tara Bruce; and 8 great grandchildren, Jeffery and Josie Bruce, Cabott Johnson, Michael and Nathan Adams, Rachel and Charlie Brewer, and Izzy Burleson.

The family would like to express our deepest and most heartfelt thanks to Heartland Hospice for the wonderful help and care given during the last months of Gladys' life.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at St. Andrews United Methodist Church, with visitation beginning one hour prior. Burial will follow at Montlawn Memorial Park.

Flowers can be sent to Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Garner.

Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Garner. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com

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