Obituary for Ruth Unruh

Ruth Ann Unruh

October 26, 1943 – October 12, 2023

Ruth Ann Unruh, 79, of Ponca City, OK, left this life on October 12, 2023, at Via Christi Village. Viewing will be from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Tuesday, October 17, 2023, and 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM, Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Trout Funeral Home. A Funeral Ceremony will be held at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, October 18, 2023, at Northeast Baptist Church, with Pastor Scott Melton officiating. Burial will immediately follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory, 505 W. Grand Ave, Ponca City, OK, 74601.

Ruth Ann was born on October 26, 1943, in Blackwell, OK, to Fredrick Donald and Gladys Lucille Leatherman. Ruth Ann grew up on a farm in Braman, OK, with 5 brothers and a sister. She graduated from Braman High School in 1961. That same year, she married Connie Mack Chitwood. They were married for 28 years and had 2 children, Teresa and Robbie. She worked at Braman Schools as the secretary and as parts manager for John Deere. She was very active in the community and bowled with a local league.

She sold cars at Heather Cannon and outsold all of the male employees. She later married Pat Allen. They loved riding his Harley, going to dances and spending time with family. After 25 years of marriage, Pat was killed on his Harley on the way home from a Patriot Guard funeral. She then married Art Unruh and was married to him for 10 years. Ruth Ann loved to mow, work in the yard and attend all of her grandchildren’s events. She was a caretaker, taking care of her siblings when needed. She was always very busy. She was also a member of the Schooner Car Club.

Ruth Ann was diagnosed with ALS on August 5th, 2022. It took her months to accept the diagnosis. The disease was very aggressive. She went from living very independently to having to accept help from her daughter and husband. Hospice started caring for her in August. She only spent one week at Via Christi Village. ALS is a very bad disease and she wanted her family to help find a cure for it, so no one else would have to go thru that.

Ruth Ann is survived by: her husband, Arthur Unruh; daughter, Teresa Jeffries and her husband, Allen, of Ponca City, OK; Robbie Chitwood and his wife, Michelle, of Yale, OK; step-daughter, Debbie Unruh; grandchildren, Brad, Deana, Chip, Taylor, Natosha, Sheila and Travis; great-grandchildren, Konner, Kaegan, and Landry Reid, Mason and Braxton Meador, Cade Townley, Peter and Max Meador, Kayden and Beckett Williams, Emily, Lani and Haley Ast, Mattix, Makenzie and Mason Tatum, and the late Michael Meador; several nieces and nephews; brothers, Billy True Leatherman of Ponca City, OK, Danny Kaye Leatherman of Braman, OK, Ronnie Leatherman, Braman, OK, Larry Gene Leatherman of Blackwell, OK; sister, Freda Lucille Leatherman of Ponca City, OK. Ruth Ann was preceded in death by: husband James Patrick Allen; step-son, Dean Allen; great-grandson, Michael Dean Meador; her parents; brother, Don Leatherman and sister, Judith Ann Leatherman.

Pallbearers will be Brad Meador, Chip Meador, Chase Williams, Ryan Reid, Mason Meador and Konner Reid. Honorary pallbearers will be Shannon Leatherman, Nathan Leatherman, Shawn Leatherman, Jason Bales, Austin Allen, and Deon Allen.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The ALS Association, 1300 Wilson Blvd Suite 600, Arlington , VA, 22209.

Source: Trout Funeral Home