10/11/1937 – 12/8/2014
Sally Ann Rutledge, age 77, passed away on December 8, 2014 at her apartment on Queen Anne Hill, in Seattle, Washington. She was born on October 11, 1937 in Seattle to Eugene and Rachel Sumpter Rutledge. Sally and her brother were raised by her dad and stepmother in Boise, Idaho, after Rachel’s death when Sally was four.
Following high school graduation in Boise, Sally earned her B.A. at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma. Her lifelong interest in foreign cultures and international relations led her to series of interesting careers. She spent a year with the Red Cross in Korea (USO branch); worked at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair (in Immigration and Customs on weekdays, and on Saturdays at the Belgian Waffle House.) She served as hostess at Seattle’s Canlis and Trader Vic’s; did modeling; went on a Unity International Goodwill mission to Europe, and attended Seattle Unity church throughout her life.
She worked for 32 years as Secretary and Personal Assistant to a series of Consul Generals at the Consulate General of Japan’s office in Seattle. Among her numerous duties, Sally handled preparations necessary for the visit to Seattle each year by training ships from Japan’s Maritime Academy for the annual Seafair Festival. Many Seattleites had the pleasure of touring the sister ships, the Nippon Maru and the Kaiwo Maru, and other tall ships when they were in port, and the excitement of watching them when they were under full sail. Much later in her career, Sally Ann was invited to Tokyo by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recognition of her years of service; she also received a special invitation from Japan’s Maritime Academy to Miyajima, Japan, in recognition for her work on their behalf for so many years. In 2000, Sally Ann was awarded a Medal of Honor from the Emperor of Japan, a high honor for a foreign civilian. After retiring from the Consulate, Sally Ann continued to work regularly as a volunteer at the Seattle Ethnic Heritage Council for 12 years, helping with numerous ethnic cultural festivals and visiting performing artists, as well as the annual July 4th Naturalization ceremony at Seattle Center. Sally Ann excelled in protocol; EHC was the central focus of her life in her later years. Although she never married or had children, she was deeply loved by her friends and former co-workers, as someone who was kind, generous, and unfailingly gracious and honest. Those of us who knew her well, will miss her genuine smile and love for nature, animals, books and Seattle Mariners.
Sally Ann was preceded in death by her brother, Genie Rutledge, of Seattle, and her Aunts Ethel Walker, and Lucille Izard, both of Mountlake Terrace, Washington. She is survived by her cousins Chris Donner of Shoreline and Dr. Roy Sumpter of North Carolina, and cousins in Nebraska. At Sally Ann’s request there will be no services. Please visit the online guest book for her, to share your memories.