Obituary of Sharon Smith Rutland

Sharon Blackburn Smith Rutland, 64, of Herndon, VA passed away peacefully at Reston Hospital Center on November 25, 2014 with her family by her side. She had courageously battled Cerebellar Ataxia, a degenerative neurological disorder, since 2007. Sharon was born in Orangeburg, SC on September 3, 1950 to Charles Randolph and Martha Rozelle Smith. After graduating from Wade Hampton Academy (now Orangeburg Preparatory School), she studied Journalism at the University of South Carolina, where she met the love of her life, Kenneth (Ken) Wayne Rutland. They married in 1969 and then relocated to the Washington metro area. Together they had two children, Jason Taylor and Lindsay Allison. During the early years of motherhood, Sharon worked as a homemaker and preschool teacher. In 1983, she began a highly successful career in real estate, spanning 24 years, in which she achieved a lifetime membership in the Million Dollar Sales Club. But Sharon's greatest satisfaction was helping people find their dream homes. Sharon loved dogs, especially Boston Bull Terriers. She was also passionate about charitable giving and volunteerism, politics, interior design, gourmet cooking, entertaining, and traveling to the Caribbean. Sharon was predeceased by her parents and brother Charles Robert. Sharon will be forever missed by her loving husband Ken, her devoted children Taylor and Lindsay, daughter-in-law Karen, and treasured grandchildren Colin and Natalie. A visitation will be held from 10 - 11am on Friday December 5, 2014 at Adams-Green Funeral Home in Herndon, VA. A memorial service will immediately follow at 11am in the same location. Memorial donations may be made to Capital Caring (www.capitalcaring.org), So Others May Eat (www.some.org), or Doorways (www.doorwaysva.org).