Dorothy (Marts) Rutledge, 87, went to be with her family in heaven on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.
She was born March 19, 1937, to Lester and Gertie (Hinshaw) Marts in Winfield.
She grew up in Chanute and married Bill McCann. Out of that union she had three sons: Billy, infant son Ricky (who died at birth) and Roger. Later she married Carl Smoot, and he adopted the two boys. Dorothy worked as a CNA at the hospital in Chanute. She later moved to San Antonio, Texas, where she worked as a checker at HEB Grocers. She retired two times: Once to come back to Chanute to care for her parents and then after Carl’s passing. She rekindled a love for her high school sweetheart, Howard Rutledge, and later married and moved back to Chanute.
Dorothy was always a busy person, when she wasn’t doing something for someone, she was making her famous pecan rolls and giving them away or peanut butter cookies. She was always asking, “How can I help?” She also worked at T&M Discount till their closing.
Dorothy is survived by her son, Roger Smoot; daughter, Olivia Stier-Smart; stepdaughter, Jill Rutledge; stepson, John (Donna) Rutledge; grandchildren, Scherauna Roberts, B.J. (Heather) Smoot, Erica (Werner) Sopon and Nicole Stier; great-granddaughters, Amanda Roberts and Isabell Sopon; stepgreat-grandchildren, Shaelyn, Dallas, Gabriel and Jeremiah Nicol; a sister, Jackie Berthot; a brother, Robert (Jackie) Marts, daughter-inlaw, Kaye Smoot; sisters-in-law, Marlene Marts and Carla McKinney; special people, Jeff and Patty Berthot.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sons, Billy and Ricky; husbands, Carl Smoot and Howard Rutledge; brother, Roy Marts; and stepson, Jeffery Rutledge.
Cremation has taken place under the direction of Countryside Funeral Home and a celebration of Dorothy’s life will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Reachout Christian Church in Chanute. She was loved by many and will be missed. We know she is finally out of pain that she suffered for so many years.
Dorothy loved her church. The family suggests memorials to the Reachout Christian Church.
