SALTILLO – Amaline Crawford Rutledge, 89, peacefully entered into eternity Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo, Mississippi. She was born on November 12, 1930 in Vardaman, Mississippi to Pearline and Ama Belin Crawford. Upon moving to Houston, Mississippi at the age of 12, she graduated from Houston High School in 1948. She then attended college at Southwestern at Memphis for one-year and completed her studies at the University of Mississippi in 1952, finishing with a Bachelor of Music degree.
On June 11, 1952, she married Felix Emery Rutledge, Sr. and they made their home in Tupelo, Mississippi working together at Rutledge Furniture and later Rutledge Adams Furniture. Amaline was an interior designer in the Tupelo area working for OSCO, Staub and Associates architect firm and as an independent designer. Throughout her life, she continued to have a creative eye for beautiful artwork and collectibles as well as a voracious appetite for reading.
She was a long-time member of First United Methodist Church, serving in various leadership capacities over the years. Amaline and Felix then became charter members of St. Luke United Methodist Church, where she served as organist and music leader for several years.
Survivors include her three sons, Mark Rutledge (Terry) of Guntown, George Rutledge (Rosemary) of Tupelo, and Felix Rutledge, Jr. (Deanna) of Tupelo; one daughter, Valerie Rutledge Dunn (Alan) of Orlando, Florida; six grandchildren, Keith Rutledge (Dana), Justin Dunn (Erin), Alex Dunn, Kevin Dunn, Mallory Lawson (Jeremy), and Lex Rutledge (Briahna); four step-grandchildren, John Daniel (Tori), Scott Daniel, Clay Jarrell, and Mary Claire Harris (Patrick); sister-in-law Mabel Crawford; and two nieces and a nephew.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Felix Rutledge, Sr.; one brother, Robert Lee Crawford; and daughter-in-law, Betty Lou Rutledge.
We are thankful for the excellent care she received from the medical community in Tupelo along with the staff of Sanctuary Hospice.
A private family service will be held Saturday, August 29, 2020. Holland Funeral Directors is honored to assist with the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to the Landscape Beautification Committee of First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 854, Tupelo, MS 38802, or to the charity of your choice. Condolences to the family may be emailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net.
