Obituary for Ruthann Greenfield

Ruthann Greenfield

September 18, 1940 — July 30, 2023

Ruthann Greenfield, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother passed away peacefully on July 30, 2023 in Broken Arrow, OK. Formerly from Ponca City, OK she was 82.

Ruthann was born September 18, 1940 to Thomas and Winnie Dobson in Hutchinson, KS. After graduation from Hutchinson High School in 1958, she married her high school sweetheart and the love of her life, Billy Greenfield on July 30, 1958 in Newkirk, OK. Together, they would start a lifetime journey that would bring them to Ponca City in 1967 where Ruthann became an amazing life partner, inspiring mother and an incredibly resourceful homemaker.

Bill and Ruthann shared 63 years of marriage before his passing on October 22, 2021. Together, they raised five children, Kym, Kelly, Billy, Kerry, and Kacey. Family was everything to Ruthann and will forever be her crowning achievement. For Bill, she was an incredible partner; strong enough to challenge, an always present supporter and reliable sounding board. To her children, she embodied everything a mother should be; nurturing and kind when you most needed it and patient, but honest when you didn’t want to hear it. She was faithfully committed to raising strong, resilient, independent children even if it would backfire on her. Many times she was known to say, in some form or fashion, “I am your mother and if we’re friends in the end, it’s a blessing I’m not counting on”. For her children and grandchildren, she inspired and cultivated independence, bravery, resilience, and sense of family; a testament to a lifetime of doing the hard work. Ruthann was a talented seamstress, an inspired home remodeler/landscaper, and the occasional artist. Later in life, she became extremely passionate and somewhat competitive about golf and enjoyed many years golfing with family and friends.

Ruthann was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents, in-laws Bill and Lucille Greenfield, and brother-in-law Earl Polk. She is survived by her children Kym White (Mike), Kelly Epley, Bill Greenfield (Lori), Kerry Balanza (Chaly), and Kacey DePriest; her sister Phyllis Sharp (Norman), sister-in-law Pamela Polk; nieces Sparkle Faidley (Lucas) and Christina Sullo (John); nephews Tom Sharp (Alida) and Dan Sharp (Renee). Ruthann also leaves behind sixteen grandchildren and their families Laura Mays (Aaron), Leslie Morgan, Kris Upchurch (Jordon), Kyle Upchurch (Emily), Nick White (Erin), Bryan Epley (Marissa), Brad Epley, Ashley Davis, Connor Davis, Cameron Greenfield, Rachel Greenfield, Olivia Greenfield, Kay Wiley (Douglas), Audrey McGuire, Haydn DePriest, and Grace DePriest.

Graveside services will be held 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 9, 2023 in the Resthaven Memorial Chapel with Pastor Scott Melton Pastor of Northeast Baptist Church officiating.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association, Hospice of North Central Oklahoma or the local Hospice organization in your community.