Sorry I didn't answer your question earlier; I was away from my computer.
You would type [Robert pre/3 Rutman] (without the brackets) into the search box. That would give you every instance where the word "Robert" appeared within three words of the word "Rutman." Of course, as the other commenter's answer proves, that would not give you results for "Bobby"; only "Robert." You could also do an advanced search for just the surname Rutman within a narrow time period, if you know what date the article or obit would have appeared.