Loretta Jean Pittman Rutledge, 78, of Rising Star TX, died peacefully February 11, 2025, surrounded by love with her husband of 59 years by her side. Loretta was born on March 9, 1946 in Gorman, TX and grew up in Rising Star. She graduated from Rising Star High School in 1964 where she was on the girls Basketball team, Homecoming Queen, a Cheerleader, football Sweetheart 3 years in a row, and voted Most Popular girl alongside her Most Popular boy classmate and sweetheart, Jimmy Rutledge. She worked part time at the Palace Drug Store and was loved by the community.
After graduation, Loretta and Jim were married in 1965 and moved to Carrolton, TX. They returned to Rising Star in 1966 and later moved to Abilene, where they raised 3 boys, Jimmy Dale Jr, Chirstopher Shawn and Jeffery Chad.
Over the years she worked in a variety of fields including bookkeeping, managing and owning a landscaping business, and was an EKG technician at Abilene Regional Hospital.
