While Harley Rutherford began serving as St. John’s Facilities Manager this summer, likely, you have already seen Harley around the parish — he and his family have been at St. John for 20 years! Harley has been married to his wife, Sue Ann, for 35 years. They have a son named Cody, a daughter-in-law named Ashley, and a grandson named Major.
The oldest of four children, Harley was raised in Ponca City, Okla. Growing up, he attended multiple Protestant churches with his grandmother and aunt but never felt comfortable at any one church.
“I met my wife, Sue Ann, right out of high school,” Harley says. “She was Catholic, so after four years of dating we were married at St. Mary’s Church in June 1988. Our wedding was the first wedding officiated by Fr. Ed Weisenburger — now Bishop Weisenburger of the Diocese of Tucson — after his ordination.”
Harley continued to attend church occasionally with Sue Ann and Cody, and in 2018 he began attending a weekly fellowship that was started by the Bartlesville varsity coaches.
“I began to feel a void being filled,” Harley says. “I felt a sense of ease around Fr. John and just knew the time had come to begin my journey to joining the Church. I was baptized and came into the Church on Easter of 2019.”
Harley became interested in the new position of Facilities Manager after seeing the listing in the bulletin. After seeing it listed for a few weeks, he decided this position was something he felt called to pursue and spoke to Fr. John.
In this new role, Harley will be responsible for overseeing the maintenance and general upkeep of the St. John and St. James campuses, the school, the youth house, the rectories, Mother’s Day Out, and any auxiliary buildings. He will be bringing many gifts and talents with which God has blessed him into this position.
Harley has been working on cars his whole life and owned his own automotive restoration and performance business in Ponca City. In addition, he served as the Program and Finance Director for the YMCA for nine years. He has also coached junior high football, tennis, baseball, and high school football. This will be his 16th year coaching.
“I am currently helping my son rebuild a 1966 GMC truck, and I have a 1967 Chevy II waiting in the wings to be built,” he says. “I enjoy woodworking, and spending time with my family. I look forward to getting to know parishioners while serving God and the Catholic Community of Bartlesville.”