Rutledge Laurens, Jr.

Rutledge Laurens, Jr. passed October 13, 2011. He was born August 31, 1921 in Charleston, SC to Rutledge and Ruth Laurens. He attended Morningside Elementary School in Atlanta, Boy’s High and Georgia Tech until he enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. After flight training, he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and was assigned to the 566 Squadron, 389th Bomber Group in Germany. On a mission, his plane was hit; he and his crew bailed out and were captured near Kimmel, Germany. On Christmas Eve, 1943, he was imprisoned in a POW camp where he remained for 17 months, until May 1945 when the camp was liberated by the Russians. Upon returning to the US, he married Harriette Brooks, who survives him. He is also survived by three daughters, Carol Laurens of Atlanta, Jan Laurens Mitchell of Ogden, Utah, and Susan Laurens Cheshire of Roswell; grandchildren Lauren Mitchell, Todd Mitchell, Mayson Cheshire, and Katie Cheshire: and brother Rev. Richard G. Laurens of Greenville, SC. He was employed with Dictaphone Corporation, where he retired after 30 years. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 16, 3:30pm, at Huntcliff Summit in Sandy Springs.