Frank E. Rutherford

 

Colonel (Retired) Frank E. Rutherford

Born in 1933 and raised in Big Stone Gap, Va., Colonel Frank Rutherford graduated from East Tennessee State University in 1957 and received his commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. While at ETSU, he was a four-year ROTC Cadet whose performance earned him the highly coveted position of Regimental Commander for his senior year.

An Armor officer and airborne Ranger, Colonel Rutherford held numerous command and staff positions during his distinguished 30-year military career, serving overseas in Germany, France, and Vietnam, and at posts throughout the United States. He earned an MBA from Syracuse University and also graduated from both the Army’s Command & General Staff College and the Armed Forces Industrial College. His final Army assignment was as the Professor of Military Science at the University of Alabama.

After his retirement from the military, Colonel Rutherford held multiple administrative positions in the city governments of Northport and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and also served on various boards and committees. He married fellow ETSU graduate Ginger Hawk in 1992 and resided in Johnson City until his death in 2008. A loyal and dedicated supporter of ETSU and its ROTC program, Colonel Rutherford touched many lives and truly made a significant positive difference to all those around him – both during his Army career and since his retirement.