Cynthia E. Bard

Cynthia E. Bard

SPRINGFIELD - Cynthia E. Bard, 62, of Springfield, passed away on October 13, 2011 at 11:21 P.M.. She was born on December 14, 1948 in Macomb, lllinois, the daughter of the late Patricia Andrews Bard and Roger William Bard. She married Charles R. Rutan on January 9, 1971 in Taylorville. Although they divorced after twenty-five years of marriage, the family remained close until Charles' death in November 2007.

Cynthia graduated from Taylorville High School in 1966. She later attended Eastern Illinois University for two years. She lived in Andrews Hall, a women's dormitory named in honor of her maternal grandfather, Franklyn L. Andrews. He was a professor at EIU. She graduated from the University of Illinois, Springfield with a B.A.. Cynthia was the named plaintiff in the hallmark United States Supreme Court case, "Rutan, et al vs. the Republican Party of Illinois." The decision, "Rutan 5-4" was handed down on June 21, 1990. Mary Lee Leahy successfully argued the case before the Supreme Court. Cynthia and her family attended the oral argument in January, 1990. Cynthia was employed for 31 and 1/2 years for the Social Security Disability program. She retired in December, 2005.

She is survived by two sons, Kurt W. Rutan and Scott L. Rutan of Springfield; cousins, Jeffrey Edgren of Escondido, California and Lynne Hawkins of Portland, Oregon. Cynthia was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents and an aunt and uncle, and her former husband Charles.

Cynthia loved to travel and did so to all forty-eight continental states, Canada, France, England, and Switzerland. She loved animals, especially her beloved Sheltie. Cynthia donated money in Charles' memory to build an orphanage which houses fifty children in Imphal, India. The orphanage was dedicated in February 2010.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 from 9:30A.M.-10:45A.M. at Perfetti Funeral Home, Morrisonville. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. in Morrisonville Cemetery with Pastor Tom Seggelke officiating. A reception will be held after the burial at the American Legion, Morrisonville. Donations may be made to the Animal Protective League, 1001 Taintor Road, Springfield, Illinois 62702.