Wilmer Mellinger Rutt, 90, died on May 26, 2025, in Chicago. Born on Aug. 20, 1934, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, an 11th generation Rutt in America, descended from Mennonites given land to settle on from William Penn, Wil grew up on a family farm, which planted a lifelong love of gardening and horticulture. He graduated from Goshen College (’56) and Jefferson Medical College (’60). He married Lois Swartendruber, a nurse, in 1958. Between medical school and his residency in Internal Medicine, they took their toddler, John, and in utero son, Dan, to serve for several years in Haiti as medical missionaries with the Mennonite Central Committee. Son Joe was born in Haiti as well, their experiences informing much of their life thereafter. He helped found the Oak Park Ten Thousand Villages nonprofit store featuring fair-trade crafts from around the world.
He set up the first dialysis unit in Gratiot County, Michigan, created a comprehensive model program for smoking cessation, and served as founding director of the Center for Clinical Effectiveness for the Henry Ford Health System. After moving into health-care management and research, he always maintained a patient practice to keep grounded in and centered on improving patient care and outcomes. His management philosophy was, “You can get a lot done if you don’t care who gets the credit.”
His family life included sit-down family dinners, church, visits to out-of-state family, theater and symphony/opera outings, and backpacking vacations. He was always involved in social justice activities and community service. Some of his favorites were Bread for the World and the Friends Committee on National Legislation. He even served as president of the Gratiot County Players, a local theater group in St. Louis, Michigan. In retirement, he hosted grand family reunions every other year.
Gardens got bigger every year, “lawns” got smaller. He owned 15 acres of rolling rural land, “Rocky XV,” which served as his horticulture playground. After his son John’s death in 1982, he and Lois created a memorial garden at their church, Central United Methodist Church, in Detroit, the final resting place of John, Lois, and Wil.
In retirement, Wil came out as gay/bisexual. He and Lois had dealt with this for decades. They sent a letter announcing this, and their divorce, to a large circle of friends. They eventually became known as the most amicably divorced couple. Wil had a partner, Leslie, a symphony conductor, for 10 years, making Annapolis, Maryland, and Berwyn their home.
And he was delighted to be Dean Peerman’s “September romance.” Dean was a juggernaut of an editor at The Christian Century for 62 years, as well as a perennial actor. Wil and Dean married in 2011. They were founding residents at the new Admiral at the Lake in Chicago, a senior living high-rise overlooking Lake Michigan. Wil served as an informal resident.
Raised a Mennonite, he spent much of his life as an United Methodist, and lived the last quarter of a century as a Quaker/Friend, most recently a member of Northside Friends in Chicago.
Wil Rutt was preceded in death by his parents, Ira and Rhoda Rutt; his husband, Dean Peerman; his former wife, Lois (Swartzendruber) Rutt; his brothers, Ken and Don; and his son, John. He is survived by his children, Dan (and Maryjo Gavin), Joe (and Paula), and Susan Rutt Phillips (and Stephan); his grandchildren, Josh (and Tiffany), Kate, Will (and Elizabeth), John (and Gabby), Matt, Vinda, Kara (and Joe), and Connor (and Melissa); and his great-grandchildren, Olivia, Lulu, Iggy, Jack, and Joanie.
Those desiring to honor Wil’s life can make a donation to the Friends Committee on National Legislation (fcnl.org), or simply pass the light on.
There will be a memorial gathering on Thursday, June 19, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Admiral on the Lake, 14th floor Lighthouse Lounge, 933 W. Foster Ave., Chicago, IL 60640. Another gathering and tribute sponsored by Northside Friends will be scheduled later.