Funeral Mass for James (Jamie) Everette Rutland, Jr., 51, of Lakeland, TN will be at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 30 at St. James Catholic Church, Leland. He went to join his Lord and Savior on Saturday, December 23. Burial will be in Leland-Stoneville Cemetery under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland.
Jamie was born on March 12, 1966, to James and Cecilia Rutland. Jamie enjoyed being around friends and family and always had a smile on his face no matter what might be ailing him. He attended school at Leland Academy during his elementary years and continued his education at St. Joseph Catholic School, Greenville, MS. He was elected Class favorite while at St. Joe. He also received his Eagle School award during this time. During his time at St. Joe, Jamie was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, at the age of 16. He made the remark at the time that he was going to live every day to the fullest, and that he did. He went to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, where he was treated for over a year. He met and talked with the founder of St. Jude, Danny Thomas, on several occasions, and thanked him for the miracles that St. Jude, along with Our Good Lord and Savior, had bestowed upon so many children. During that time, he continued going to school while he was receiving treatments. He said he wanted to graduate with his class, and he did just that. The school, the teachers, and all his classmates supported him during this trying time.
After graduation, he attended Ole Miss and Mississippi Delta Community College before moving to Memphis where he began his career in the automobile industry. He loved working with the public and made many friends.
He later married his childhood sweetheart, Angela Love. They set up residence in Memphis, and raised three wonderful boys, Walker Hayes, Beck Myers, and Weston Reeves.
Jamie remained in remission for over 34 years. At the age of 51 he began having some health problems and was told that the cancer had returned. He underwent three surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy, but always remained upbeat and never complained.
He is survived by his wife, his three sons, his parents, one brother, Billy Rutland (Amy), uncles, James Santucci (Brenda), Paul Sabbatini, Paul Love (Anna), and Bobby Robinson (Linda), Don (Marilyn) and family, cousins, Paul Joseph Sabbatini, Bethany Douglass (Stanley), Lindsey Mortimer (Rob), nephew, Will Rutland, niece, Waverly Rutland, his mother-in-law, Marianne Brasfield, brother-in-law, Bill Love (Brenda) and family, sister-in-law, Susan Walker (Jeff) and family, and a host of other family members and friends.
There will be a visitation one hour prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908, or to St. James Catholic Church, P. O. Box 352, Leland, MS 38756.