Tut Tuthill

Jordan P. (Tut) Tuthill left this planet to be with the Lord on 22 March 2020. Born on 27 October 1931 in Norwich, VTto Ruth (school teacher in the 1920s) and Benjamin Tuthill (farmer and house painter). The 5th of 6 children living and raised on a remote farm several miles outside the hamlet of Norwich, VT. His closest sibling, sister Carolyn, shared many happy childhood and school years together, through HS, enjoying sports, games and, he, being an avid hunter, shooter and fly fisherman, taught her to shoot and tie flies, he excelled at both and was an expert marksman. He amazed all by his love of hunting and shooting despite a very serious life threatening shotgun accidental wound to the side of his face while a very young child that left him badly scarred and total hearing loss to right side of his face; it didnt phase him. He would focus confidently apply himself and overcome any challenge and chore. He was intelligent, creative and adaptable. Norse ancestry and some New England Indian Tribe blood probably accounted for his love of, and hardiness, of the outdoors. His stalking ability, patience and marksmanship were legendary. He was an Olympic qualified marksman while in college and won two different State NRA sponsored championships with .22 cal rifle. He had his Mothers gentle personality and she had a strong influence on his early interest in higher education as well and his Christian beliefs. In HS he played guitar with a small band of friends, enjoyed it and the school events. While in HS he learned to fly airplanes and enjoyed the many hours soaring over the VT and NH countryside in his little piper cub. Tut worked on his folks farm and with his Father painting houses and buildings in Dartmouth College in Hanover,-directly across the Connecticut river from Norwich, VT. his hometown. He did not like the painting work and decided, following HS graduation to pursue other work and college. He worked as a draftsman and saved enough money to start college, first to Michigan Technical Institute (Upper Peninsula at Houghton, MI) then to Pennsylvania State University (University Park, PA). He graduated with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering. Upon graduating he took a job as a research engineer in a Utah firm in the field of rare earths (lithium being one that is derived by solar evaporation of water from the Great Salt Lake). Following his term there he accepted a position in Texas City Texas and, in collaboration with Dr. Gates patented a method to extract manganese from manganese nodules prevalent on the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico. Then, in 1960 he left that place and was hired by Austenal Inc, Dover, New Jersey, the worlds largest producer of high temperature alloy jet engine blades and vanes (gas turbines) for military and civilian use, in their research facility that supported their large production facilities in Dover, NJ and LaPorte, Indiana. Upon his arrival in Dover, NJ he was greeted by Dan Brockway, who was manager of new tooling and new products for both the Dover, NJ production and research operations. Tut and Dan discovered they had similar love for hunting, shooting, fly fishing, camping and hiking in the wilderness areas of the Adirondacks, Green Mountains and other vast wild areas. Dan invited Tut to his home for dinner and to meet his wife, Pinky, and his children Dan Jr, and Diann and they all took an immediate liking to him and he has been a lifelong friend, hunting, fishing, camping and hiking friend for the past 60 years as well as a dependable, honest, dedicated and talented employee, co-worker and junior partner ever since in such places as Tampa, FL, Rome, NY, Cucamonga, CA, Naples, ME, Spokane, WA and Coeur d Alene and Post Falls, NJ where Dan built new factories and businesses. He then worked for several years at LA Aluminum Castings in Hayden, Idaho a manufacturer of permanent mold aluminum castings and machining and finishing same. He was both a machinist and consultant from which he retired several years ago. Tut was an excellent and patient tudor for his entire career and became a friend and co-worker with Dan Jr. for many years until his death. In his personal life he became fast friends with many and especially, Pastor Steve Bradshaw of the Cowboy Church, Cocolalla, ID (since 1980's), and to his next-door neighbor and landlord Bill Kauffman and his family (who Tut taught Elk hunting to - very successfully) who all became fond of this gentle, capable, reliable, humble and honest man. Tut was a runner and completed a marathon in Coeur d Alene. His last audible words to Dan were "I want to be with Jesus Christ". Well, I'm sure hes there and at that Happy Hunting Ground. A memorial service is planned for May at the Cowboy Church in Cocolalla. Rather than flowers or cards, donation to the Schniedmiller House, 2290 West Prairie Avenue, Coeur d Alene, Id 83815 in memory of Jordan Tuthill is appreciated.