WILLIAM ERNEST "ERNIE", M.D. Passed away in Monroe, Louisiana on July 28, 2012. He was 73. Dr. Rutherford was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 12, 1939 to Philip and Ethel "Minnie" Rutherford. From the early age of 4 he aspired to be a doctor, even though no one in his family had gone to college. Luck came his way when a Career Day counselor from Grinnell College came to Valley High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and paved the way for a sports scholarship to that prestigious school. In 1961 he began his studies at the University of Colorado's School of Medicine. In 1964, during his Junior year in medical school, he married Ileta Atchley and began their life of 48 years together. Drafted for Vietnam in 1967, they spent three years in Germany as an Air Force doctor, returning to St. Louis, Missouri and Barnes Hospital where he did his Internship and Residency. The early part of his medical career was filled with pioneering research on chronic kidney disease. In August 1978 he started a new life in private practice in Monroe, Louisiana. By 1982, he and Dr. Joan Blondin opened the first Northeast Louisiana Dialysis Center in Monroe, ultimately growing the practice to six clinics in the region. Dr. Rutherford was influential in establishing a rural health clinic in Start, Louisiana with Jennifer Bennett who worked with him since 1981. Since November 2006, he worked at LSU Conway as a full professor of clinical family medicine, always teaching his residents to question everything, and to learn the "why" not just the "what," and always to listen to the patient (his mom always told him that). He received the teacher of the year award in 2010. He is survived by his wife Ileta; son Phillip and his wife Felicia Stingone and their two daughters Gabriella and Francesca; son Jason and his wife Jessica Rutherford and their two daughters Melanie and Nina; sister Margie Kimbrough, and a 'surrogate' son Joe Mansour. He is also survived by numerous - sister and brother-in-laws, nieces and nephews. According to Ernie's wishes, he will be cremated and returned to New Mexico. A visitation will be held at Kilpatrick Funeral Home, 1200 Lamy Lane in Monroe from 5 to 8 pm, August 1st. Memorial services will be officiated by Rev. R. Crandall and held at McClendon Baptist Church, 206 Downing Pines Road, West Monroe at 11 am, August 2nd, 2012. Pallbearers will be Rob Atchley, Cory Atchley, Casey Lang, Cody Lang, Louis Elias and Dean Hebert. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Joan Blondin and Dr. Herschel Harter. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be given to Grinnell College in memory of William "Ernie" Rutherford '61. Friends and family wish to establish a scholarship that will benefit Grinnell Students interested in pursuing a degree in medicine. Those wishing to contribute may do so by sending a check to Grinnell College, Old Glove Factory, Attn: Meg Jones Bair, 733 Broad Street, Grinnell, IA 50112. Online condolences may be sent to the family at: www.kilpatrickfuneralhomes.com
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