Lois Mae Rutten

Lois Mae Rutten, 92, a resident of the Hillsboro community, passed away on March 23, 2024, with her family by her side.
Lois was born on May 27, 1931 in Roy, OR. She was the eldest of two children born to Julius and Josephine (Peters) Vanderzanden. She lived in the Roy community until her early teenage years, when she moved with her family to Hillsboro. She attended Hillsboro High School, graduating with the Class of 1949. After graduating, Lois enjoyed working for the local phone company as a switch board operator.
She met her future husband, Charles J Rutten, on a blind date. Charles was visiting from Nebraska with his best friend (Bill Ewers). They soon began dating and married on June 4, 1954 in Hillsboro. They made their home in Hillsboro and had three children, Janet, Patrick, and Karen. Charles passed away on January 23, 1984. Janet passed away on August 22, 2019.
Lois was a devoted and loving mother to her family. Once her children where all in school, she began working as a Playground Aid at the Peter Boscow Elementary School in Hillsboro, where all the kids would come to call her grandma. Lois worked for the school district for over twenty years before retiring.
Lois enjoyed being at home, where every spring she would plant and tend to her large vegetable and flower gardens. She loved to crochet and sew, making blankets, scarves and hats for family and friends. Even though Lois was more of a homebody, she did enjoy traveling and visited Nebraska, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, and California on family vacations. Lois also enjoyed camping with her family at different locations throughout Oregon.  Lois was the family historian, often helping other family members with filling out and completing their family trees.
Lois enjoyed walking and would often participate in numerous Breast Cancer walks, both in Florida and Oregon.  She enjoyed following sports and was especially fond of college football and basketball, cheering mostly for the Oregon Ducks, and the Oregon State Beavers. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time together with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her loving husband, a daughter, both her parents and a sister, Joyce Mizar.
She is survived by two children, Patrick Rutten and his wife, Sandhya Patel-Rutten, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; Karen and her husband Dan Vlastelicia of Scappoose, OR; Son-in-law, Gary Perkins of Hillsboro, OR; eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
Lois touched the lives of many people and will be truly missed.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Care Partners/ONHA

Click here

503-648-9565, or a charity of your choice.