Todd Mcnutt

Todd Mcnutt was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1946 while his father completed his Orthopedic Surgeon residency there. The family, father Justin, mother Lucille, and sister Susan moved back to Bloomington, Illinois when his father completed his residency, after having it interrupted by World War II. Dr. Mcnutt was a Field Hospital Doctor in First Army surviving Omaha Beach on D-day and The Battle of the Bulge. Todd attended University High School in Bloomington and was involved in football, wrestling, science, and band. He was active in Boy Scouts of America from Cub scouts through Boy Scouts. Todd earned the rank of Eagle in 1960, worked at Boy Scout Camp Heffernan, and was chosen to represent his council at the World Jamboree in Greece in 1963. Before returning home, the scoutmaster heard that an earthquake had devastated parts of Eastern Europe. He decided that the Illinois Scout contingent could help in some way, so the troop took a detour. Practicing the scout motto, "Do a good turn daily" the adults and boys helped rebuild homes and cleared debris. Before the scouts left the village, they were invited to eat with the villagers who had roasted a sheep. The mayor asked Todd, as the Senior Patrol Leader to sit next to him in a place of honor. The mayor thanked the scouts for their help then honored them all by giving their Senior Patrol Leader the most prized part of the sheep. Todd gulped, then did his duty with respect. He ate the sheep's eye the mayor had pulled out of the eye socket of the sheep.

While competing at the Illinois statewide wrestling tournament, Todd seriously injured his leg. His father told him he would probably never walk again. Anyone who knew Todd, knows this would never have prevented him from accomplishing the things he was determined to do. During the Viet Nam War Todd and four of his friends had decided to go to Chicago to enlist in the Army. The boys rode the train with Todd on crutches and his leg in a full leg cast. The five of them walked into the recruitment office together and asked for the paperwork. The recruiter barked at Todd, saying "Why are you here? We don't take people on crutches with a full leg cast! Don't waste my time." Two of those friends' names are on the Viet Nam Memorial in Washington D.C. Because he was never able to enlist to serve his country, Todd was compelled for the rest of his life to assist veterans in any way possible.

Todd graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry in 1968. To prove he could do the job, during the summers of his college days, he came to California and worked north of Redding as a hotshot. In 1965 he became a smokejumper and jumped fires from 19651968. During his firefighting days, he was caught in two burn-overs. By deploying his fire shelter, he was able to survive both.

He attended the Oceaneering International School in Long Beach Harbor, learning to be a hard-hat diver. He began a short career as a deepsea diver and engineering supervisor working on oil rigs along the southern California and Gulf Coasts, until the big oil embargo stopped the drilling. Todd arrived in Porterville in 1970 to attend the Horseshoeing School on Henderson. Bob Noble, one of the instructors, invited Todd to apprentice with him and a lifelong friendship was formed. After being injured by a horse, Todd worked for Dan Weisenberger at the Hardware Store for a time. Later he became a supervisor at the Porterville Sheltered Workshop. He also tried his hand at carving wooden signs for a living. Examples of his work grace many businesses around Porterville.

For a time, Todd presented his "Science Idea" shows, all around the western United States to the excitement of students and teachers alike.

Todd began teaching in the classroom at Citrus South Tule and found he enjoyed facilitating students' growth throughout the year. He encouraged and was in turn inspired by a multitude of students in Lindsay, Strathmore, and Porterville.

Todd was dedicated to giving back to the Porterville community by teaching the young people he served how to involve themselves in good works. He volunteered his groups of youth to the Veterans parade, Band-o-rama, Christmas Parade, Odyssey of the Mind, Boy Scouts of America, flag placements on Memorial Day, and the Porterville Fair.

Todd's family thanks all who listened to his stories, appreciated his encouraging words, respected his positive criticisms, laughed at his jokes, and followed his promptings of "You haven't figured it out ... yet!" Todd's Celebration of Life will be at the Porterville Veteran's Hall, 1900 West Olive, on April 22,2023 at 10: 30.