Bernice Jean Rutley of Clinton, Ontario passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 21, 2014. Bernice was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on January 9, 1951 to the late Ernest and Olive Rose. She received her teacher’s credentials from the Nova Scotia Teacher’s College and held a masters degree in Early Childhood Education from Mount St. Vincent University. She was a member of CGIT, 2nd Battalion, 84th Regiment Regimental Association. She had previously been a member of Saint Andrew’s United Church, Stewiacke, Nova Scotia. Bernice moved from Nova Scotia to Calgary in 2006 where she met and married Carl Rutley a year later.

A loving mother, devoted wife and a dedicated teacher, if not spending time with her family she found great happiness in the classroom. Bernice spent 42 years teaching and in her spare time loved to swim and spend time by the water. In 2011, she and Carl relocated to Clinton, Ontario in advance of their anticipated retirement.

Bernice is survived by her spouse, Carl Rutley, her two children Jennifer Ryan (Jason Ryan) and Rod Redden (Emi Redden), her sister Eileen Brown (Paul Brown), her brother David Rose, a step-daughter Christine Ezinga (Ben Ezinga) and seven grandchildren whom she cherished and adored; Tomoki, Kazuma and, Arisa Takeda, Ian Redden, Leena Redden, Brooklyn Ryan and Sebastian Ezinga.

A Celebration of Life was held at the Foothills United Church in Calgary, Alberta on April 26, 2014. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Bernice’s memory to the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia or the Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary, Alberta.