2 months ago
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CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Longtime Pastor David Rutherford died astir 2 weeks ago. Wednesday, folks with CrossCity Christian Church are remembering his bequest and interaction connected Clovis.
“With his passing past Saturday, that was unexpected,” David’s lad Zach Rutherford said.
On June 28, Pastor David Rutherford died aft a two-year conflict with dementia. He was conscionable 61 years old. This quality near his congregation stunned.
“I was astatine a friend's location having dinner, and I was called by my coworker and she told maine the quality and I benignant of conscionable froze and I conscionable didn't privation to judge it astatine first,” CrossCity Christian Church Office Manager Heather Gonzalez said.
Heather Gonzalez has been an bureau manager astatine the religion for 2 decades. During her clip astatine CrossCity, she grew adjacent to David.
“We made it a pact to person luncheon with him each 2 weeks oregon each different week. We'd spell to luncheon and conscionable sojourn with him, adjacent though helium couldn't accidental overmuch to us,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez was determination for David during his worst days. His conflict with dementia took a crook for the worse successful 2023. He stepped down arsenic the church’s pb pastor. His son, Zach, past took over.
“He's shaped it intentionally and unintentionally, unintentionally. Just due to the fact that I was astir him for 31 years and I conscionable benignant of saw the ins and outs,” Zach Rutherford said.
Zach says helium was retired of municipality erstwhile helium got a telephone from his mom, who told him his begetter had passed.
“It's bitter for america and conscionable the bequest that helium leaves wrong maine and my household and our religion and our church, household and community. It's thing that I consciousness similar I don't deliberation you spot that each time successful ministry,” Zach Rutherford said.
Zach told YourCentralValley.com that his dada volition beryllium remembered for the countless families helium brought religion to.
“He came present successful 1995, and the religion was 4 oregon 500 radical astatine that time. And implicit the people of astir 30 years, it's 4 oregon 5000 radical connected mean per week,” Zach Rutherford said.
But David volition beryllium remembered astir for the idiosyncratic helium was.
“Goofy, fun, entertaining. I conjecture you could say. He's benignant of the airy of the room,” Gonzalez said.
“He could conscionable marque anyone laugh. He could marque anyone smile. And that connection, I think, is what made him truthful impactful,” Rutherford said.
An interaction that volition proceed into the future.
“His bequest volition unrecorded connected done Zach, and he's doing specified an astonishing occupation to capable that. I consciousness similar it's going to unrecorded connected for a truly agelong time,” Gonzalez said.
On July 16, CrossCity Christian Church volition clasp a solemnisation of beingness for David. That starts astatine 10 a.m.
