Jean Francine Hill Rutter

On November 5, 2025, Jean Hill Rutter passed away at the age of 98. She died peacefully and of natural causes at home with her son, Kevin at her side.

By any measure, Jean lived a glorious life. She was incredibly outgoing, giving, light hearted, and spiritual. She was a wonderfully nurturing mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, as well as a devoted daughter, sister, wife, and friend. She was widely loved and will be missed by many.

Jean was born to Frank and Marion Mariman on August 20, 1927 at the Women’s Hospital in Portland, OR. She was the first of 4 children - 2 girls, then 2 boys. Her early childhood was spent on Klickitat St. in the Alameda neighborhood, where she attended Madeline Grade School. At age 12, her family moved to Milwaukie, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Jean commuted to Madeline each day with her dad, until graduating in 1941, then attended St. Mary’s Academy (1941-1945) and the Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane, WA, where she graduated in 1948.

Later that same year, Jean married Robert ‘Brint’ Hill at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Milwaukie, where they raised 7 children and made a lifelong home. Brint was a sales engineer in the wood products industry, and travelled widely. Jean was a tireless homemaker, until she decided her children were old enough that she could resume her nursing career. In 1974, she was hired by Kaiser Permanente, where she worked for 18 years in their Sunnyside Medical Center, before retiring in 1992 at the age of 65.

In 1994, after 46 years of marriage, Brint passed away with Jean at his side. 3 years later, Jean was remarried, to long-time family friend David Rutter, who had also lost his spouse. Sadly, David died just 3 years later in 2000.

Jean always lived life to the fullest, and left a lasting impact on countless people along the way. She was endlessly engaging and energetic, from her roles as school volunteer and room mother, to hosting countless family holidays, birthday parties, and poker games, to her 3 monthly bridge clubs that lasted decades, and to the book club she co-founded in 1968, that lasted more than 50 years!

Throughout her life, Jean was also completely immersed in her devotion to Jesus Christ and to St. John’s Catholic Church, where she was an active member for 86 years! Among her many service roles in the Church were as a founding board member of the St. John’s Catholic Community Foundation, as a frequent Lector, as a member of the Legion of Mary, and as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound for 30 years.

Jean was preceded in death by her brothers, Paul and David Mariman; and sister, Virginia Hulbert. She is survived by 3 daughters, Virginia ‘Dindi’ Lane (Richard), Julie Kennedy (David), and Jennifer Scruggs (Greg); 4 sons, Robert ‘Todd’ Hill (Marlene), Jeffrey Hill (Shelley), Kevin Hill, and Mark Hill (Cheryl); 4 stepchildren, Dan Rutter (Patty), Cherie Rutter, Mary Justice, and Rick Rutter; 12 grandchildren, Emily and Andy Barbagelata, Hannah Cox, Elizabeth Hill-Wiker, Colin Hill, Rebecca and Michelle Kennedy, George, Olivia, and Walter Hill, and Josh and Jeremy Hill; plus several step-grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and many other relatives that Jean cherished.

A Funeral Mass will be 11:00 a.m. (preceded by a Rosary at 10:30 a.m.), Saturday, November 22, 2025 at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church in Milwaukie, Oregon. A reception and celebration of life will follow in the Parish Hall.

Jean was an inspiration to all who were part of her life and it’s difficult to say goodbye. She touched so many people with her smile and unconditional love. We will carry her on in our hearts and memories, and celebrate that she rests in peace with her heavenly father.