Children of Vera Blanche James (1892-1989) of Hunt County, Texas and Felix Hardie
“Hardy” Rutledge (1891-1941) of Comanche County, Texas:
1. Velma Cleone Rutledge: born June 9, 1912 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas; married
February 1, 1931 in Jones County, Texas to Orvin Leon Robinson (1908-1988); died
September 15, 1986 (aged 74) in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; buried at Trent Garden
of Memories Cemetery, Trent, Taylor County, Texas; known children include: Jerry
Lynn Robinson, Joanne Robinson and Janie Monette Robinson.
2. Dorothy Jo Rutledge: born October 4, 1923 in Merkel, Taylor County, Texas;
first marriage in Trent, Taylor County, Texas to Jack C. Watkins (1928-1988); second
marriage in Baytown, Harris County, Texas to J.D. Rodgers (1924-2006), son of Dewey
Whitman Rodgers and Lola Mae Harrison; died September 19, 1995 in Baytown, Harris
County, Texas; buried at Trent Garden of Memories Cemetery; Trent; Taylor County,
Texas; known children include: Lynda Jane Rodgers Henry, Kathi Dianne Rodgers Ewell,
and Larry Mack Rodgers.
3. James Donald Rutledge: born October 4, 1923 in Trent, Taylor County, Texas;
married December 21, 1946 in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas to Irma Jean Rodgers (1929-);
died November 20, 2019, in Abilene, Taylor County, Texas; buried at Trent Garden
of Memories Cemetery in Trent, Taylor County, Texas; known children include: James
Weldon “Rusty” Rutledge and Donna Lee Rutledge Lawrence.
4. Alvis Weldon Rutledge: born June 30, 1926 in Post, Garza County, Texas; first
marriage August 17, 1954 in Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, Idaho to Jerry Bloxham
(1931-); second marriage March 1999 in Congress, Yavapai County, Arizona to Sandra
Lee McCullough; died July 12, 2007 (aged 81) in Paulden, Yavapai County, Arizona;
buried in Chino Valley Cemetery, Chino Valley, Yavapai County, Arizona; known children
include: Sandy Ann Rutledge and Marty Lynn Rutledge.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Notes:
Vera Blanche James (1892-1989) was the daughter of Braxton Leftrich James (1864-1923)
of Fannin County, Texas and Flora Alice Johnson (1874-1960).
James Donald Rutledge (1923-2019) graduated from Trent High School in Taylor County,
Texas. He competed in amateur rodeos, worked on ranches, and trained cutting horses
since he was 16. He was quoted as saying, “All I’ve ever wanted to do is ride a horse”.
Donald was a member of the National Cutting Horse Association, the West Texas Cutting
Horse Association, and the Ranch Horse Association of America. He was also a member
of Wylie Baptist Church.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources:
See, Family Records of Marty Rutledge of Loveland, Colorado, son of Alvis Weldon
Rutledge (1926-2007).
See, Obituary of James Donald Rutledge (1923-2019) published by the Hamil Family
Funeral Home of Abilene, Texas.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Virtual Memorials on “Find A Grave” Website:
Velma Cleone Rutledge Robinson (1912-1986), Memorial ID No. 24248146, by Janie Davis,
added January 29, 2008.
Orvin Leon Robinson (1908-1988), Memorial ID No. 24248145, by Janie Davis, added
January 29, 2008.
Dorothy Jo Rutledge Watkins (1923-1995), Memorial ID No. 24248287, by Janie Davis,
added January 29, 2008.
J. D. Rodgers (1924-2006), Memorial ID No. 81321123, by Marty Rutledge, added December
1, 2011.
James Donald Rutledge (1923-2019), Memorial ID No. 204907794, by Marty Rutledge,
added November 21, 2019.
Ima Jean Rodgers Rutledge (1929-2012), Memorial ID No. 90398151, by Marty Rutledge,
added May 19, 2012.
Alvis Weldon Rutledge (1926-2007), Memorial ID No. 20506492, by Kenneth Bogard, added
July 18, 2007.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Photos:
James Donald Rutledge (1923-2019)
Alvis Weldon Rutledge (1926-2007)
Vera Blanche (nee "James") Rutledge (1892-1989) and her children: Dorothy Jo (nee
"Rutledge") Rodgers (1923-1995); James Donald Rutledge (1923-2019); Alvis Weldon
Rutledge (1926-2007); and, Velma Cleone Rutledge (1912-1986) on the occasion of Vera's
90th birthday in Baytown, Texas in 1982. Photo provided courtesy of Brenda Rutledge.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Updated: January 6, 2023