Phares B. Rutt, of Nokomis, Florida went home to be with the Lord on Friday, March 17, 2017 at Bay Breeze Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was the loving husband of Katie Beachy Rutt. He was a member of Bethel Mennonite Church in Sarasota, Florida.

He was the son of the late Phares W. Rutt and Anna (Burkhart) Rutt, born on September 21, 1924 in Brecknock Township, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Edna N. Bowman who died in 1991; two daughters, Gladys D. Rutt and Betty J. Weaver; sons-in-law, Glen Weaver and Ralf Lohrenz; and a granddaughter, Nadine D. Heiss. He is also predeceased by his brothers, George (Frances) Rutt, Paul (Anna) Rutt, Lloyd (Mary) Rutt, Harold (Josie) Rutt, and sisters, Betty (Russel) Showers, Anna Mae (Martin) Martin, Helen (Lloyd) Groff and Mildred (Lloyd) Fox.

He is survived by two daughters June wife of John Stauffer, New Holland, PA and Ruth Ann Lohrenz of Lancaster, PA; and two sons, Ray, husband of Debbie (Hosey) Rutt, of Port Orange, FL and Merle, husband of Cheryl (Redcay) Rutt, of New Holland, PA. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

Phares and his first wife, Edna, raised their family in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He founded Rutt Custom Kitchens in Goodville, PA in 1951. His cabinetry business was well established and successful, known and distributed nationwide. He was one of two founders of Hawk Valley Golf Course in Bowmansville, PA in 1970. Phares was one of the original incorporators of Mennonite Christian Leadership Foundation in 1969 which has since merged with Global Disciples. He also was one of the founders of Earland Industrial Park in New Holland, PA. A few of his other involvements include the Mennonite Central Committee, Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Good Enterprises, True Precision Plastics, Historic Strasburg, Welsh Mountain Medical Center and Rutt Wood.

Phares was an avid fisherman and passed his passion onto his children and grandchildren. He earned his captains license and owned several charter fishing boats throughout the years captained by Billy Heath, the last being the Blue Dolphin VI. He had one commercial fishing boat captained by Terry Bessinger.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 24, 2017 at 2:00 PM at the Christian Fellowship Church, 758 Spruce St., New Holland PA 17557. Interment will follow at the New Holland Mennonite Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Friday from 12:00 -2:00 PM at the church prior to services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made either to Gator Wilderness Camp School, 4493 Farabee Road, Punta Gorda, Florida 33982 (the camp is for boys who are at risk) or to Global Disciples, 315 W. James St., Suite 202, Lancaster, PA 17603. Arrangements by Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland.

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