Obituary for James Millard Rutland
LINCOLNVILLE…………James Millard Rutland passed away on January 17, 2021 in Rockport. Jim was born in Sheffield, Alabama on May 15, 1939 and was the son of John Wallace Rutland, Sr. and Mabel Davis Rutland. The second of four sons, Jim was raised on a family farm in Spring Valley, Alabama. Jim attended Spring Valley schools and graduated from Colbert County High School in 1957.
Jim completed his freshman year at the University of North Alabama, then transferred to Auburn University. While at Auburn, Jim earned his private pilot’s license. Jim was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and graduated from Auburn with a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering degree in December 1960.
In 1961, Jim began a career as an aeronautical engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Through NASA, he also continued advanced studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1962, Jim worked as an aerospace technologist for Flight Operations and was an integral part of the engineering team for re-entry and recovery systems for the Gemini project.
In 1966, Jim began a new career as a pilot for Delta Airlines, based first in Houston and later in Miami, Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake City and New York. During his last decade with Delta, Jim flew internationally to Europe, India, the Middle East and Russia. Jim was an avid skier and competed with the Delta Ski Team. Jim retired from Delta as a Senior Captain in 1998.
Jim was passionate about sailing. While based in Miami, Jim began restoration on “Pandora”, a 2-masted square-rigged schooner that he salvaged from the Miami River. When Jim told a sailing friend that his dream was to do a full restoration on Pandora, his friend said, “Then you need to go to Camden, Maine.” So in 1976, Jim set sail up the Eastern Seaboard to Camden. One of the proudest days of his life was July 4, 1976, when Jim, accompanied by his daughter, Jan and a crew of friends, sailed Pandora into New York Harbor as a participant in the Op Sail ’76 Tall Ship parade celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial. After Op Sail ’76, Jim sailed from New York City up the New England Coast to Camden. Jim’s daughter recalls that when Jim sailed into Camden he had a smile on his face that told her he was “home”! Jim set up his Pandora restoration project at the head of the harbor where he resided and settled into Camden life.
In 1982, Jim purchased the Young homestead at Youngtown Corner, where he restored the 1810 farmhouse and opened the Youngtown Inn. Jim developed the property of the homestead into an airstrip and farm, which was known as “Runway Ranch.” In 1984, Jim and a dear friend completed construction of a Rutan Long EZ experimental aircraft. He flew many trips in the Long-EZ across the U.S. to Canada and the Bahamas. One of Jim’s fortes was land development. After retirement from Delta in 1998, Jim owned and operated Crossroads Construction, an excavation company, and completed many construction projects in the Lincolnville area.
In 1985, Jim met his wife, Holly Montgomery. They designed and built a timber frame home on Lake Megunticook where they have spent their married life along with their Australian Shepherds. Jim had an Australian Shepherd continuously by his side for the past four decades: Big Raffie, Little Raffie and Tux.
Jim was predeceased by his parents, Wallace and Mabel Rutland, and his brother, Kenneth Donald Rutland. Surviving is his wife, Holly Montgomery Rutland; his daughter, Jan Rutland Sheehy and her husband, Daniel; three grandchildren, Jason Daniel Sheehy, Stephen Benjamin Sheehy and Jillian Sheehy Allen; brothers, John Wallace Rutland, Jr. and his wife, Barbara, Glen Davis Rutland and his wife, Sara; mother-in-law, Ann Montgomery, and sister-in-law, Lee Montgomery and her husband, John.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.longfunerlahomecamden.com. Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain Street, Camden.
Jim completed his freshman year at the University of North Alabama, then transferred to Auburn University. While at Auburn, Jim earned his private pilot’s license. Jim was inducted into the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and graduated from Auburn with a Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering degree in December 1960.
In 1961, Jim began a career as an aeronautical engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Through NASA, he also continued advanced studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1962, Jim worked as an aerospace technologist for Flight Operations and was an integral part of the engineering team for re-entry and recovery systems for the Gemini project.
In 1966, Jim began a new career as a pilot for Delta Airlines, based first in Houston and later in Miami, Chicago, Boston, Salt Lake City and New York. During his last decade with Delta, Jim flew internationally to Europe, India, the Middle East and Russia. Jim was an avid skier and competed with the Delta Ski Team. Jim retired from Delta as a Senior Captain in 1998.
Jim was passionate about sailing. While based in Miami, Jim began restoration on “Pandora”, a 2-masted square-rigged schooner that he salvaged from the Miami River. When Jim told a sailing friend that his dream was to do a full restoration on Pandora, his friend said, “Then you need to go to Camden, Maine.” So in 1976, Jim set sail up the Eastern Seaboard to Camden. One of the proudest days of his life was July 4, 1976, when Jim, accompanied by his daughter, Jan and a crew of friends, sailed Pandora into New York Harbor as a participant in the Op Sail ’76 Tall Ship parade celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial. After Op Sail ’76, Jim sailed from New York City up the New England Coast to Camden. Jim’s daughter recalls that when Jim sailed into Camden he had a smile on his face that told her he was “home”! Jim set up his Pandora restoration project at the head of the harbor where he resided and settled into Camden life.
In 1982, Jim purchased the Young homestead at Youngtown Corner, where he restored the 1810 farmhouse and opened the Youngtown Inn. Jim developed the property of the homestead into an airstrip and farm, which was known as “Runway Ranch.” In 1984, Jim and a dear friend completed construction of a Rutan Long EZ experimental aircraft. He flew many trips in the Long-EZ across the U.S. to Canada and the Bahamas. One of Jim’s fortes was land development. After retirement from Delta in 1998, Jim owned and operated Crossroads Construction, an excavation company, and completed many construction projects in the Lincolnville area.
In 1985, Jim met his wife, Holly Montgomery. They designed and built a timber frame home on Lake Megunticook where they have spent their married life along with their Australian Shepherds. Jim had an Australian Shepherd continuously by his side for the past four decades: Big Raffie, Little Raffie and Tux.
Jim was predeceased by his parents, Wallace and Mabel Rutland, and his brother, Kenneth Donald Rutland. Surviving is his wife, Holly Montgomery Rutland; his daughter, Jan Rutland Sheehy and her husband, Daniel; three grandchildren, Jason Daniel Sheehy, Stephen Benjamin Sheehy and Jillian Sheehy Allen; brothers, John Wallace Rutland, Jr. and his wife, Barbara, Glen Davis Rutland and his wife, Sara; mother-in-law, Ann Montgomery, and sister-in-law, Lee Montgomery and her husband, John.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.longfunerlahomecamden.com. Arrangements are with the Long Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 9 Mountain Street, Camden.