Jerry Lee Rathbun
February 5, 2023 at 9:57 p.m.
Jerry Lee Rathbun
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Jerry was born on Sept. 20, 1937, in Warsaw, to Earla Jane Hawkins Rathbun and Cyril “Tuffy” Cameron Rathbun. He spent his early years in Warsaw where he attended elementary school, junior high school and graduated in 1956 from Warsaw High School. In 1956, Jerry studied engineering, education and science at Purdue University in West Lafayette and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1960. Jerry remained a lifelong fan of all Purdue sports.
Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1961, was separated from active duty in 1963 and received his honorable discharge in 1967. He held the rank of Engineering Specialist and after basic and advanced training he was a senior instructor at one of the Engineering Schools at Fort Belvoir, Va.
On June 4, 1960, he was married to Susan Diane Babcock and they shared 54 years marriage together before she passed away on July 23, 2014. After the passing of his wife, Jerry was blessed to share his life again with a special former high school classmate and married Ruth Ione Cameron Casner on June 26, 2016.
He had a lifetime of experience starting out as a paper boy in his youth, cemetery maintenance, lumber yard/mill worker, and foundry management trainee. In 1963, he entered the Insurance Business in Washington, D.C., and lived in Arlington, Va. He and his wife, Susan, moved back to Indiana in 1965 where he sold life, health and securities for the Prudential Insurance Company of America. In 1973, he joined the Magnavox Company in Fort Wayne as an engineering technical writer in the Government Division and Industrial Electronic Company after their purchase by North American Philips. He retired after 25 years of service with benefits from Philips and Raytheon Corporation.
Jerry enjoyed sharing his life with loved ones, loved to travel, play golf, swim in the backyard pool and especially hosting parties at the house. He enjoyed attending high school sports events and, of course, being there for his grandchildren. He also enjoyed the fellowship of his fellow servicemen as a member of the American Legion Post 47 in Fort Wayne. Jerry was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to many who will be dearly missed.
He leaves behind his wife, Ruth Casner-Rathbun, Warsaw; daughter, Jennifer (Jeff) Judy, Fort Wayne; stepson, Matthew C. (Michelle) Casner, Warsaw; two grandchildren, Nicholas and Katherine “Kaylee” Judy, Fort Wayne; two stepgrandchildren, Morgan Casner, Warsaw; McKenzie (Dillon) Baldridge, Warsaw; three stepgreat-grandchildren: Landen, Hudson, and Benson Baldridge, Warsaw; and his sister, Suzanne Page, Sun City, Ariz. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Susan Diane Rathbun; and his stepson, David C. Casner, on Oct. 26, 2022.
Jerry’s life will be celebrated with a service at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Andrew Morton. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
A graveside service will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Concordia Cemetery Gardens, 5365 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne. Military rites will be performed by members of the American Legion Post 47 of Fort Wayne.
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Jerry was born on Sept. 20, 1937, in Warsaw, to Earla Jane Hawkins Rathbun and Cyril “Tuffy” Cameron Rathbun. He spent his early years in Warsaw where he attended elementary school, junior high school and graduated in 1956 from Warsaw High School. In 1956, Jerry studied engineering, education and science at Purdue University in West Lafayette and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1960. Jerry remained a lifelong fan of all Purdue sports.
Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1961, was separated from active duty in 1963 and received his honorable discharge in 1967. He held the rank of Engineering Specialist and after basic and advanced training he was a senior instructor at one of the Engineering Schools at Fort Belvoir, Va.
On June 4, 1960, he was married to Susan Diane Babcock and they shared 54 years marriage together before she passed away on July 23, 2014. After the passing of his wife, Jerry was blessed to share his life again with a special former high school classmate and married Ruth Ione Cameron Casner on June 26, 2016.
He had a lifetime of experience starting out as a paper boy in his youth, cemetery maintenance, lumber yard/mill worker, and foundry management trainee. In 1963, he entered the Insurance Business in Washington, D.C., and lived in Arlington, Va. He and his wife, Susan, moved back to Indiana in 1965 where he sold life, health and securities for the Prudential Insurance Company of America. In 1973, he joined the Magnavox Company in Fort Wayne as an engineering technical writer in the Government Division and Industrial Electronic Company after their purchase by North American Philips. He retired after 25 years of service with benefits from Philips and Raytheon Corporation.
Jerry enjoyed sharing his life with loved ones, loved to travel, play golf, swim in the backyard pool and especially hosting parties at the house. He enjoyed attending high school sports events and, of course, being there for his grandchildren. He also enjoyed the fellowship of his fellow servicemen as a member of the American Legion Post 47 in Fort Wayne. Jerry was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to many who will be dearly missed.
He leaves behind his wife, Ruth Casner-Rathbun, Warsaw; daughter, Jennifer (Jeff) Judy, Fort Wayne; stepson, Matthew C. (Michelle) Casner, Warsaw; two grandchildren, Nicholas and Katherine “Kaylee” Judy, Fort Wayne; two stepgrandchildren, Morgan Casner, Warsaw; McKenzie (Dillon) Baldridge, Warsaw; three stepgreat-grandchildren: Landen, Hudson, and Benson Baldridge, Warsaw; and his sister, Suzanne Page, Sun City, Ariz. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Susan Diane Rathbun; and his stepson, David C. Casner, on Oct. 26, 2022.
Jerry’s life will be celebrated with a service at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by Pastor Andrew Morton. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.
A graveside service will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Concordia Cemetery Gardens, 5365 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne. Military rites will be performed by members of the American Legion Post 47 of Fort Wayne.
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