William J. Rutledge, now 97, came to Grambling in the spring of 1946 from New Orleans.
“Jack Moore, recruiting for Coach Eddie G. Robinson [to play ball], asked if I wanted to go to school. Because it was free, I said yes,” said Rutledge.
Rutledge and four others went to Grambling, but only one graduated in the four-year term. He stayed for a year and a half before joining the Army. His 27 years of military duty included being stationed in Oklahoma, Korea, Louisiana, Texas, Turkey, Virginia, France Vietnam, Iran and Washington, D.C. He retired in April of 1975 at the rank of Segeant First Class (SFC E-7).
Rutledge returned to Grambling State University in the fall of 1975 on the G.I. Bill to receive his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. He taught 12 years in the Lincoln Parish School system at I.A. Lewis Elementary School (Six Grade Center) in Ruston under Willie Washington as principal.
He is proud to be a father of one son and one daughter. Rutledge is also proud of his two grandchildren and a great grandchild. After marrying Dr. Swedie W. Bread in1980, the couple did a great deal of traveling.
He participated in Grambling’s “Make A Difference Day” observance from 1994 through 2009. Rutledge worked with projects such as painting fire hydrants in the Grambling area and picking up trash on Main Street, from RWE Jones to Martin L. King Jr. Ave., then from Highway 80 to Grambling State University campus.
Rutledge enjoys reaching out to assist others in whatever means possible. He joined in with Valena Lane, a fellow member of New Rockey Valley Baptist Church, to help with a KGRM project. During the 91.5 KGRM annual Christmas Toy Drive, he became the engine behind making sure the drive had what it needed to make the children’s wishes come true. He encouraged help from his fraternity brothers of Phi Beta Sigma to assist in bagging the toys. Until the Covid Pandemic hit, Rutledge continued to take financial donations given for the drive to purchase needed items.
“Bill”, as he is known by many, coordinated the Annual Grambling Veteran’s Day program from November 2000 until November 2008. He lined up coordinators for district churches in the Liberty Hill Baptist Association parade from 1984 until 2019.
“I have picked up and placed under the carport, the daily newspapers both morning and evening for 11 of my elderly neighbors and carried their garbage can out twice a week, from 1995 until 2012. At present, I only have nine elderly neighbors, so I do it down to the corner of Main Street, where Dr. Harvey’s house is located,” Rutledge said.
He is still an active member of several clubs and organizations. Rutledge belongs to the Grambling Unit of Retired Teachers (GURT) from 1991 to present. Served as: president and chairman of Technical Services, treasurer from 2005-2011. He served as vice president and membership chair of Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) from1983-2000.
He belongs to Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. (life Member) 1976- present, served as president and treasurer of the GSU Alumni Association, Inc. (GUNAA) (Life Member), and the Greater Grambling Chamber of Commerce, Inc., where he served as treasurer.
Bill has been a member of many more organizations including being a member of the governing board of the Louisiana Military Museum- Ruston from April 14, 2008 -present, as well as a member of the board of directors – Lincoln Total Community Action, Inc., from 2000 till 2011.
Rutledge, a travel enthusiast, has traveled to many countries, such as Antigua, Japan, Gibraltar, Austria, and Korea (North/South). He has visited St. Vincent; Barbados; Thailand; Trinidad; Belgium; Lebanon; Malaysia; Britain; Libya; Guatemala; Canada; Monaco; St. Kitta; France; Netherlands and Singapore.
Nowadays, Rutledge spends his time relaxing, reading and talking with fellow members of the community.