Willie Ruth Austin Evans was born in Altus, Oklahoma, on Sept. 9, 1920 to Clara Childers Austin and Edward David Austin. She had 4 siblings, Doris (Sides), David, Janelle (Leverett), and Joe Allen, who died in infancy.
Ruth and her childhood sweetheart Herschel Evans got engaged in 1941 on Pearl Harbor Day and married a couple of weeks later on December 25, 1941, in her parents’ home in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southwestern State Teachers College in Weatherford in 1942 and began her lifelong career in elementary school education.
While Herschel served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Ruth taught school in Oklahoma. Following the war, they moved many times for Herschel’s engineering career and raised three daughters during their residency in Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma again, Raytown, St. Charles, and Raytown, Missouri again.
Following Herschel’s death in Missouri in 1979, Ruth moved back to her childhood home town and settled in Altus, Oklahoma for the remainder of her life. She enjoyed teaching there her last few years prior to retirement, and she loved spending time with her sister Janelle and brother-in-law Darill and their children Joe and his wife Kim and their children Sarah and Austin, and with Brad and his wife Robin, and their children Travis and Holly. She had many friends in Altus and she particularly enjoyed outings and trips with her ‘eighties ladies’ circle of friends.
Ruth particularly relished time spent with her daughters and their families. She loved traveling to Austria with daughter Hersha to visit Hersha’s son Shannon and his children Zeno and Charis. Nancy and husband Mike Crowley and their children Evan and Matthew lived in Oklahoma during Ruth’s last few years so were able to spend time with Ruth. Shelley and her husband Sheldon Jones and their children Austin, Logan, and Tanner made frequent trips to Oklahoma to see Grandma Ruth "with the pretty hair".
Ruth was an avid teacher, and she spent much of her life grading papers and planning curriculums. She was a dedicated educator and mentor who treasured visits from former students and receiving cards and letters praising her guidance.
Ruth also gave back through many organizations and volunteer positions, including Cancer Drive leadership and participation, volunteer work at the Museum of the Western Prairie, Jackson County Hospital, Displaced Homemakers, PEO, and the Oklahoma Arts Institute to name a few. She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting landscapes and florals in oil.
Ruth died in Altus on June 16, 2003, and was laid to rest next to her husband Herschel in Kansas City, Missouri. She is truly missed.
Ruth and her childhood sweetheart Herschel Evans got engaged in 1941 on Pearl Harbor Day and married a couple of weeks later on December 25, 1941, in her parents’ home in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southwestern State Teachers College in Weatherford in 1942 and began her lifelong career in elementary school education.
While Herschel served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Ruth taught school in Oklahoma. Following the war, they moved many times for Herschel’s engineering career and raised three daughters during their residency in Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma again, Raytown, St. Charles, and Raytown, Missouri again.
Following Herschel’s death in Missouri in 1979, Ruth moved back to her childhood home town and settled in Altus, Oklahoma for the remainder of her life. She enjoyed teaching there her last few years prior to retirement, and she loved spending time with her sister Janelle and brother-in-law Darill and their children Joe and his wife Kim and their children Sarah and Austin, and with Brad and his wife Robin, and their children Travis and Holly. She had many friends in Altus and she particularly enjoyed outings and trips with her ‘eighties ladies’ circle of friends.
Ruth particularly relished time spent with her daughters and their families. She loved traveling to Austria with daughter Hersha to visit Hersha’s son Shannon and his children Zeno and Charis. Nancy and husband Mike Crowley and their children Evan and Matthew lived in Oklahoma during Ruth’s last few years so were able to spend time with Ruth. Shelley and her husband Sheldon Jones and their children Austin, Logan, and Tanner made frequent trips to Oklahoma to see Grandma Ruth "with the pretty hair".
Ruth was an avid teacher, and she spent much of her life grading papers and planning curriculums. She was a dedicated educator and mentor who treasured visits from former students and receiving cards and letters praising her guidance.
Ruth also gave back through many organizations and volunteer positions, including Cancer Drive leadership and participation, volunteer work at the Museum of the Western Prairie, Jackson County Hospital, Displaced Homemakers, PEO, and the Oklahoma Arts Institute to name a few. She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting landscapes and florals in oil.
Ruth died in Altus on June 16, 2003, and was laid to rest next to her husband Herschel in Kansas City, Missouri. She is truly missed.
Willie Ruth Austin Evans was born in Altus, Oklahoma, on Sept. 9, 1920 to Clara Childers Austin and Edward David Austin. She had 4 siblings, Doris (Sides), David, Janelle (Leverett), and Joe Allen, who died in infancy.
Ruth and her childhood sweetheart Herschel Evans got engaged in 1941 on Pearl Harbor Day and married a couple of weeks later on December 25, 1941, in her parents’ home in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southwestern State Teachers College in Weatherford in 1942 and began her lifelong career in elementary school education.
While Herschel served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Ruth taught school in Oklahoma. Following the war, they moved many times for Herschel’s engineering career and raised three daughters during their residency in Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma again, Raytown, St. Charles, and Raytown, Missouri again.
Following Herschel’s death in Missouri in 1979, Ruth moved back to her childhood home town and settled in Altus, Oklahoma for the remainder of her life. She enjoyed teaching there her last few years prior to retirement, and she loved spending time with her sister Janelle and brother-in-law Darill and their children Joe and his wife Kim and their children Sarah and Austin, and with Brad and his wife Robin, and their children Travis and Holly. She had many friends in Altus and she particularly enjoyed outings and trips with her ‘eighties ladies’ circle of friends.
Ruth particularly relished time spent with her daughters and their families. She loved traveling to Austria with daughter Hersha to visit Hersha’s son Shannon and his children Zeno and Charis. Nancy and husband Mike Crowley and their children Evan and Matthew lived in Oklahoma during Ruth’s last few years so were able to spend time with Ruth. Shelley and her husband Sheldon Jones and their children Austin, Logan, and Tanner made frequent trips to Oklahoma to see Grandma Ruth "with the pretty hair".
Ruth was an avid teacher, and she spent much of her life grading papers and planning curriculums. She was a dedicated educator and mentor who treasured visits from former students and receiving cards and letters praising her guidance.
Ruth also gave back through many organizations and volunteer positions, including Cancer Drive leadership and participation, volunteer work at the Museum of the Western Prairie, Jackson County Hospital, Displaced Homemakers, PEO, and the Oklahoma Arts Institute to name a few. She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting landscapes and florals in oil.
Ruth died in Altus on June 16, 2003, and was laid to rest next to her husband Herschel in Kansas City, Missouri. She is truly missed.
Ruth and her childhood sweetheart Herschel Evans got engaged in 1941 on Pearl Harbor Day and married a couple of weeks later on December 25, 1941, in her parents’ home in Weatherford, Oklahoma. She graduated from Southwestern State Teachers College in Weatherford in 1942 and began her lifelong career in elementary school education.
While Herschel served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Ruth taught school in Oklahoma. Following the war, they moved many times for Herschel’s engineering career and raised three daughters during their residency in Oklahoma, Colorado, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Oklahoma again, Raytown, St. Charles, and Raytown, Missouri again.
Following Herschel’s death in Missouri in 1979, Ruth moved back to her childhood home town and settled in Altus, Oklahoma for the remainder of her life. She enjoyed teaching there her last few years prior to retirement, and she loved spending time with her sister Janelle and brother-in-law Darill and their children Joe and his wife Kim and their children Sarah and Austin, and with Brad and his wife Robin, and their children Travis and Holly. She had many friends in Altus and she particularly enjoyed outings and trips with her ‘eighties ladies’ circle of friends.
Ruth particularly relished time spent with her daughters and their families. She loved traveling to Austria with daughter Hersha to visit Hersha’s son Shannon and his children Zeno and Charis. Nancy and husband Mike Crowley and their children Evan and Matthew lived in Oklahoma during Ruth’s last few years so were able to spend time with Ruth. Shelley and her husband Sheldon Jones and their children Austin, Logan, and Tanner made frequent trips to Oklahoma to see Grandma Ruth "with the pretty hair".
Ruth was an avid teacher, and she spent much of her life grading papers and planning curriculums. She was a dedicated educator and mentor who treasured visits from former students and receiving cards and letters praising her guidance.
Ruth also gave back through many organizations and volunteer positions, including Cancer Drive leadership and participation, volunteer work at the Museum of the Western Prairie, Jackson County Hospital, Displaced Homemakers, PEO, and the Oklahoma Arts Institute to name a few. She was a talented artist and enjoyed painting landscapes and florals in oil.
Ruth died in Altus on June 16, 2003, and was laid to rest next to her husband Herschel in Kansas City, Missouri. She is truly missed.
