Gerald "Jere" David Rutt's Obituary
Gerald “Jere” David Rutt, 86, of Frederick, Maryland, passed away on Sunday, June 28, 2026. He passed away peacefully in the Tranquility Hospice Unit at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center, surrounded by his family. Jere was born May 22, 1940, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. When Jere was very young, he and his family moved to Mount Joy, Pennsylvania. Jere graduated from East Donegal High School in 1958. He studied mathematics at Franklin & Marshall College, graduating in 1962. Jere lived in Gaithersburg, Maryland, from 1975 until 2016.
Jere is survived by his wife of nearly 52 years, Ellen K. Rutt; his son, Benjamin (Lindsay) Rutt; his granddaughters, Kira Dacey, Harper Dacey, Hannah Rutt, and Evie Rutt; and his sisters, Marion Kreider and Kathryn Lois Shinn. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Cynthia F. Rutt; his brother-in-law, Colin L. Koser; and numerous nieces, nephews, and their families. Jere was predeceased by his daughter, Alicia Dyanne Dacey; his brother, James “Jim” W. Rutt; and his sister, Helen J. Koser.
Jere proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1967. He served as an avionics officer and attained the rank of captain. He was stationed in Rimini, Italy, for a year and a half. During that time, Jere helped ensure NATO aircraft were ready to respond during the Cold War. After his honorable discharge, Jere was employed by IBM for 32 years. From 1969 to 1970, Jere lived and worked in Saigon, Vietnam. He was one of IBM’s “wild ducks” who set up and maintained large mainframe computers in Southeast Asia to support the war effort. During his career, Jere was known among his colleagues for his ability to explain highly technical concepts to large audiences. He continued to work with large mainframe computers throughout his career, which the government and corporations used for essential functions.
Jere was a dedicated and accomplished tennis player and bicycle rider. He vacationed with his family and many friends every summer in Duck, North Carolina, for 42 years. Jere loved traveling with Ellen. They visited many countries together. He was an enthusiastic reader on a wide variety of topics from philosophy and science to religion and spirituality. Jere also loved making people laugh. Everyone who knew Jere appreciated his quick wit and wonderful sense of humor.
A private memorial service and celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, August 19. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins University.
What’s your fondest memory of Gerald?
What’s a lesson you learned from Gerald?
Share a story where Gerald's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Gerald you’ll never forget.
How did Gerald make you smile?