HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 18

[By Delegates Guthrie, Speaker Armstead, Byrd, Lane, McCuskey, E. Nelson, Pushkin, Rowe, Stansbury, Walters, and B. White]

On Behalf of all Members of the House

Honoring and memorializing the life of Phyllis J. Rutledge who served for ten years in the West Virginia Legislature.

Whereas, In 1960, when hearing John F. Kennedy say, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” Phyllis J. Rutledge felt he was speaking to her, thus beginning a long political career; and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1968 and served until 1972, and serving again from 1988-1994; and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge served as Speaker Pro Tempore during the 71^st Legislature and was the first woman to do so; and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge served as Chairwoman of the Banking Committee during the 70^th Legislature. She also served on the Banking and Insurance, Health and Welfare and Finance Committees, as well as many other committees; and

Whereas, While serving her second stint as a legislator, many members were taken under her wing and “taught the ropes.” Phyllis J. Rutledge was one of the most respected members, and it was said that when Phyllis J. Rutledge spoke, everybody listened: and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge was the first woman to be elected as the Kanawha County Circuit Clerk, serving from 1972 through 1984. As the Circuit Clerk, she was responsible for greatly reducing the backlog of old civil cases and modernizing the record system into the computer age; and

Whereas, Another of Phyllis J. Rutledge’s proud accomplishments was being the Kanawha County Coordinator for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. She was responsible for orchestrating the now famous “Honk and Wave” campaign which helped give Hillary her victory in West Virginia; and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge was the recipient of the West Virginia Humanitarian of the Year in 1994, and is on the list of Famous West Virginians due to her many accomplishments for the people of West Virginia; and

Whereas, Phyllis J. Rutledge also served as a lobbyist to the West Virginia Legislature where she represented such groups as the American Cancer Society and the West Virginia Society for Respiratory Care; and

Whereas, Phyllis was the mother of son, James, and daughter, Jeannie, grandmother of four and great-grandmother of four; and

Whereas, Following a long and illustrious life and career in politics the Honorable Phyllis J. Rutledge passed away at Dunbar Health Care on May 1, 2015therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Delegates:

That the House of Delegates hereby honors one of its own, Phyllis J. Rutledge who most ably served for ten years in the West Virginia Legislature; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the House of Delegates memorializes the life of Phyllis J. Rutledge, a unique and singular individual who devoted her life to better the lives of the citizens of Kanawha County as well as all West Virginians; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for the members of the West Virginia House of Delegates, the Governor, and her children, Jeannie Scheirman of Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina and James Rutledge of Charleston West Virginia.