Nancy Rutledge

Nancy King Ham Rutledge, 88, of Uvalde passed away on Friday, October 13, 2023 at Uvalde Memorial Hospital. She was born in San Benito, Texas on October 9, 1935 to Howard and Adelle King Ham.

She graduated from Raymondville High School in 1953 and obtained her bachelor’s degree from Corpus Christi University, now Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, in 1957, and her master’s degree in education from Texas A&I University in Kingsville, also now part of the Texas A&M University system.

Nancy taught English for five years at Crystal City High School before moving to Southwest Texas Junior College where she taught English until her retirement in 2000. Nancy taught, inspired and challenged countless students with her boundless energy, clever mind and great sense of humor. She made a positive impact on decades of students because they knew that she cared for them and challenged them to reach their personal success. Nancy founded the Southwest Texas Junior College Annual Creative Arts Contest in 1991 when she was chairman of The Division of Humanities. A highlight for Nancy was winning first place in the poetry division of this contest after her retirement in April of 2006.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Robert Bornes.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Tom Williams of Uvalde, son Mark Rutledge and wife Laura of Driftwood, son Brent Rutledge and wife Sheri of Uvalde; grandchildren, Garrison Rutledge Long and husband John of Jourdanton; McCrae Rutledge and fiancé Natalie Pashby of Cypress; Victoria Rutledge of Starkville, Mississippi; and Connor Rutledge of Driftwood; and great-granddaughter Evans Ruth Long. She is also survived by her sister Nedra Mize of San Antonio, Hal Ham and wife Pam of Kingsville, and Linda Hocker and husband Jim of Tyler;

and numerous nieces and nephews. As well as her former husband Jack Rutledge.

A celebration of Nancy’s life will be held for family and friends on Sunday, October 15^th at Rushing Estes Knowles Mortuary in Uvalde at 2:00pm.