Logic's founder - Willie Rutherford 1947 - 2011

Willie Rutherford

memorial service for Willie

This took place at 2.30 pm on Saturday 22nd October 2011 at the Methodist Church, Church Street, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland. The service was very well attended by family, friends and colleagues who celebrated Willie's life and times.

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It is rare to say that one man shaped an entire industry. While he’d always be the first to say he didn’t do it entirely on his own, the utility ATV market as we know it would never have happened in the way that it did but for the vision, intelligence and wit of Willie Rutherford.

Willie passed away aged 63 on the 9th September in New Zealand (his home for the past decade) after a determined battle with pancreatic cancer. He leaves his partner Lisa and her two children, Julian and Alicia, in New Zealand but he will also be sadly missed by his remaining family, friends and colleagues in the UK and in particular his native Northumberland.

Willie grew up on the family farm (‘Stonecroft’ at Newbrough) and was fascinated, as many farm lads are, by machinery. If it had an engine, he wanted to make it go faster; if it had a function, he was determined to make it work better. It was this fascination that would lead him into his lifelong passion for motorsport. More pragmatically it also led him to become a talented and innovative engineer. Willie was the creative force behind Logic, the company he founded and which has become so well known and respected for the products he designed. What many people may not remember now, however, is that Logic first burst upon the scene with a revolutionary new tractor design which was featured on BBC’s ‘Tomorrow’s World’ in 1972. The Logic Tractor caused a stir in the tractor world by first introducing 4-wheel drive and an independently-sprung cab (amongst other features) – things which are now mainstream. Although never a commercial success, the principles embodied in the tractor became the hallmark which has been stamped on the company’s designs ever since. To quote the Tomorrow’s World feature: “Once the first logical step has been taken, the rest also follow logically, if not inevitably!”

Logic came to prominence with the introduction of ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles). Willie was instrumental in the establishment of ATVs as the familiar and ubiquitous workhorse they have now become. His innovative flair and entrepreneurial drive saw the introduction of a wide range of equipment that would exploit the new niche that had been created. It was nothing short of revolutionary and it transformed working practices on countless farms in the UK and abroad. This is his legacy. Today, Logic employs 34 people at Hexham and another 8 at Cheltenham in Gloucestershire and has just had the best year in its 41 year history.

The Logic Tractor

Willie was a colourful character, always determined to live life to the full and he met each new experience with gusto, forever looking for what he could learn from it. He had a keen analytical mind and was always quick to engage with new ideas and developments. A skilled and talented engineer as he was, he was also appreciative of the strengths and talents of others and valued highly the people around him who would help him achieve his (and their) potential. Above all, Willie was a true ‘original thinker’ and he used his ability to the full. His approach to problems was not conventional to say the least, but it was an approach based (not surprisingly) on logic and it worked superbly well!

With the company well established and going from strength to strength, Willie eventually decided to move to New Zealand with Lisa. He loved the country and the people there and with modern technology and communications he was able to keep in touch with the business. Willie still managed to take an active interest in Logic and in particular, product development. Less time at the office enabled him to build his new life with Lisa at their home in Akaroa on the beautiful Banks Peninsula and eventually also to indulge in his love of rallying. He was never happier or more excited than when developing his classic Porsche 911 RS to compete at a high level in his adopted homeland. This was another important facet of the man, he liked to compete and he did this with the utmost respect of his fellow competitors. Willie’s final competition was with the illness that finally took him. Typical of Willie it was a challenge he tackled, surrounded by those who loved and cared for him, with determination, spirit and his usual dash of Logic.

Rest in Peace.

If you would like to send us some images of Willie please send them to memories@logictoday.co.uk

Comments

Showing comments 1 to 10 of 11 | Next | Last

Brian Tilley

Lampton Lion Park
Fri September 16, 2011, 16:14:47

I had just become a dad for the fourth time in August 1981, and was awaiting a compulsory vasectomy when Willie Rutherford invited me to join him as co-driver for he described as "a little flirt" round Lampton Lion Park. It was a rally cross event, with journalists occupying the co-driver's seat. I thought it would be a fitting way to end my reproductive days, so was delighted to agree.
I had no idea the drive would be more painful than the vasectomy.
We were well plsced after the timed first lap, but second time round, Ulsterman Derek Boyd overshot a corner, and our two vehicles collided at a converging speed of 140mph.
As he saw what was about to happen, Willie slid out of the driver's seat and out of the car door, leaving me to my fate.
Perhaps mercifully, I have no memories of the collision but have since learnt I had to be cut out of the wreckage of the car. The full face helmet I was wearing was smashed to pieces.
I woke up in an ambulance holding hands with a pretty women, who turned out to be Willie's wife Diana.
I was taken to Dryburn Hospital, where I wriggled uncomfortably on the examination table. "Is your back hurting?" asked a concerned nurse, but I simply put my hands doiwn the back of my underpants and pulled out a double handful of shattered windscreen glass!
Apart from a few bruises, and the odd cut, I was remarkably unscathed, and after a night in hospital, who should arrive to pick me up and take me home but Willie, grinmning all over his face.
"I'm glad I wasn't in that smash," he said with a wink, and drove me home at 90mph down the A69.
Some 10 years later, I was washing my face when I noticed blood coming from a lump in my eyebrow. I went to the doctors who used his tweezers to extract a last lump of windscreen glass.
Willie was a class act, and I doubt we'll see his like again.

Alan Worthington

Goodbye
Wed September 21, 2011, 23:36:50

Two sayings come immediately to my mind when I think of Willie Rutherford:

Great minds discuss ideas,
Average minds discuss events,
Small minds discuss people.

with Willie it was always ideas....the second is:

Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.

Willie always lived for today but had the vision to see tomorrow.

I am so pleased that our life's paths crossed.

Sleep in peace Willie.

malcolm

about the man!!
Fri September 23, 2011, 12:27:05

Willie was a great guy who has left an everlasting impression with many people, including myself!!
i could write a book on our experiences, but will limit it to 2 which come to mind, which typifies him in my eyes.

i first spent some time in Willie's company at the 1983 royal show, this included a lift back home to the cotswolds in the back of his BMW318 - i sat behind Diana (who was in front pasanger seat)as there was more leg room, within a mile of leaving Stoneleigh we went round a sweeping right hand bend and before i knew anything i was just about upside down with my head in between the right hand side of the rear seat and door, after several expletives Willie and Diana laughed their socks off for the rest of the journey, i just clung on with every muscle in my body until i got home. i think this was the last time i ever willingly accepted a lift from the man!!

approx 15 years ago it came to light there was a untapped market for a grader to level horse menages and this market was about to take off, as by chance the ATV manufacturers were also starting to promote to this industry, the sales depts (me) had foolishly let a mock up photo of a R&D grader to be included in some of their publicity material. When i pointed out if we didnt launch what we had we would miss the market i was firmly told by Willie ' if i wanted to sell that take it with you and go and work for someone else, as he wasnt going to put Logic's name to it as it wasnt right!!
Luckily it didnt come to this and within hours Simon B had come up with an idea for the solution, for anyone who knows the product this is where the wheel track levelling kit came from!! and within weeks the SG250 grader was born.
1000's later the product is still going strong!
i could bore everyone with a similar story about several other products but this is not the place, but i still take great pride in Logic because this is what Logic is about, and Willie will always be at the front end of this and remembered because of this..

Willie - you were a very special man and thanks for sharing some of this with me, RIP mate.

Last Edit: September 23, 2011, 15:14:12 by stefan

Stefan

The Flying Anglia!
Fri September 23, 2011, 16:48:06

The first sight I ever had of Willie was through the lens of a movie camera. I think it was the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in the early 70s: we were filming on a tarmac stage and a few cars had already gone through. The top 5 or 6 were fairly shifting but the pace had then become a bit more sedate for those either settling for a top fifteen placing, or nursing their cars through to the end. Then suddenly this elderly Anglia flew into view, all sideways and frantic. And quick. After the car had disappeared with equal haste I looked up from my camera and said to the bloke next to me "Who was that!" The guy just said "Willie Rutherford!" "Mad!"
Much later, when I got to know Willie, I realised there wasn't a bit of madness in him. He was just determined to make the most of everything, every day - and that's not a bad way to look at life. I remember trying to keep pace with his thought processes during our conversations: he spoke of the importance of 'capturing thoughts' as if they were some type of rare animal. He'd long ago realised that unless you'd captured a thought, you couldn't do anything with it. What an immense talent!
A pleasure, a privilege and an honour to have known you Willie.

Stephen Gregory

Loose Change...
Fri September 23, 2011, 21:41:31

Logic was the first organization I encountered in my travels as a wet-behind -the-ears ERP consultant back in Sep 1999. To this day I regularly cast my mind back to those happy memories with a feeling of respectful amazement to have had the absolute honour of working alongside Willie and the whole Logic team in beautiful Hexham. The Logic ethos was truly unique. More like visiting a warm family than visiting a business. From then on I got to know Willie on a personal level, marvel at his logic, integrity and patience approach to life and people. Willie always told me Logic was like a theatre, where the audience was the customer, so therefore everyone played a crucial role. If only more business thought like that! Willie was always one to appreciatively speak his mind and remember his sense of humour even in arduous situations. My first day at Logic came with a warning from a colleague to keep my "loose change" firmly in my pocket as we were about to climb into Willie’s then red BMW 3 series to go for lunch at The Rat Inn. Bemused, and not understanding the remark, I got in the passenger seat whilst Willie revved the engine to life. Well as most of you that know the rally driver in Willie took over and the advice was soon understood... We were hurtled around the Northumberland countryside with the hedges all but a blur! Boy could Willie drive a car like it was an extension of his body. I hope that Willies legend lives on in Hexham, NZ and wherever those who were lucky enough to come into contact with this fine man. My condolences to all his family, but may we all smile when we think of him.

stefan

Silver Fern Memories
Mon September 26, 2011, 08:22:04

Thank you so much for allowing us to share memories of Willie. It was such a privilege to have known him, he made everyone feel special and we will miss him dearly.
Here is a photo taken in Dunedin at the Silver Fern Rally. It was in the Service Park, which as I recall, Willie couldn't resist leaving sideways in the wet to put on a show.

Monica Graham
Dunedin

Last Edit: September 26, 2011, 08:24:18 by stefan

Peter Stark

Silverfern 2010
Tue October 04, 2011, 22:28:03

We met Willie at the Silverfern Rallye 2010.

We had a great time with him.
Back home in Austria I learned what a great rallye driver Willie was in the past century.

RIP dear Willi, proud to met you in NZ in 2010

Peter Stark & Willi Polesznig
from Austria

Jeff Ledger

Wor Willie
Thu October 06, 2011, 12:52:10

It was with great sadness that I learnt of the death of WR, a fellow competitor from my era in the 70/80's.
During that era rallying was extremely popular, especially here in the forest-rich North East, attracting many characters and famous rally crews to our events. Willie however was one character who left an indelible mark on the sport and our collective memory. To struggling competitors his infectious enthusiasm, competitiveness and willingness to innovate set him apart from the flock. Whether it was his elderly Anglia, his rotory engined Mazda which rattled the establishment with its power output or his "spectaculars". Willie's exploits are now written into the sport's and motor club history!
Although his death is a loss to my generation I am pleased he followed his heart, to seek a happy and content life.
Amongst all my memories of Willie, it is parhaps The Rally Sprint at Lambton Lion Park that made the biggest impact! I am sending a very special image to the site email address in the hope it can be published for all to see in wonder!
Gone, but never forgotton.
Respects to his family.
Jeff and Susan Ledger

Ed Graham

Willie Rutherford
Fri October 07, 2011, 23:02:07

I first met Willie when, as a still very young man he came along to a Hexham & DMC club evening with the stated intention of getting started in rallying. Shortly afterwards, I sat in with him as navigator in a small event put on by Newcastle & District Motor Club, Willie posessed a Mini which had been fitted with a Weber carburettor to give it extra performance, sadly, this extra performance was not matched by the cars braking ability, Willie had a habit of braking very late and we spent the event scrabbling round corners and bends on the absolute limit. Shortly afterwards, Willie entered a Hexham run event with cousin Will navigating. The event used a well known country lane near Wark which features a sharp right hand bend, with a huge drop if you go straight on. Willie went straight on !!!! Fortunately he was saved from plunging some 300 feet down into the ravine by a stout hawthorn tree, unfortunately, the impact saw both Willies carted off to hospital, and the car to Alan Conley's garage for remedial work. Willie bore the scars from that incident for the rest of his life. He did, however, go on to make a huge impression in the rallying world, taking on and matching the established "Works" drivers of the day, always on the limit, always worth watching, and always, the same affable guy.

Another memory I have of Willie is the time a crowd of us went to do a charity walk which started at Newcastle United's football ground, St. James Park. It was in aid of a hospital in Uganda or some similar country. We set off and ambled our way up Newcastle's Barrack Road and headed for Ponteland, Willie however went striding off into the distance, and soon left us far behind. It was a long walk, all the way to Milbourne and back. On returning, footsore and weary, I enquired of the officials if Willie had arrived back safely. "Dunno", said the Official, "What does he look like?" "Tall lad", I said, "He was wearing a red rally jacket" "Oh, Him" replied the official, "He was one of the first ones back, he even beat some of the harriers" That sums up Willie perfectly, always competitive, always giving it his best shot.

On behalf of everyone at Hexham & District Motor Club, may we send our most sincere condolences to all his family and friends in New Zealand.

Ed Graham, President
Hexham & District Motor Club

Janet Bailey

My brother Willie
Sun October 09, 2011, 02:57:41

It was my privilege and exciting pleasure to grow up with my brother Willie and twin, Jim Rutherford at Stonecroft. So many family, particularly cousins and friends have been in contact since my return from NZ to tell me what fabulous memories they have of Willie. What fun he was, how he touched their lives, how thankful they were for the difference he made to them.

The immense sadness I and they feel at Willie's death has been elevated a little by the laughter we have shared remembering some escapade (usually in a car) of him. And how Logic transformed for the better many a farmer's life.
I am privileged to have had not only Willie as my brother but also our brother Jim who also died of cancer on 14 April 2006.

I found this saying by George Bernard Shaw which pretty well sums up for me Willie's untimely death from a life he absolutely loved living in NZ with his partner, Lisa Potts.

"USE YOUR HEALTH, EVEN TO THE POINT OF WEARING IT OUT. THAT IS WHAT IT IS FOR. SPEND ALL YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU DIE; DO NOT OUTLIVE YOURSELF."
(George Bernard Shaw)

Last Edit: October 10, 2011, 08:41:32 by stefan

Showing comments 1 to 10 of 11 | Next | Last

Willie Rutherford in his 911RS