Catharine Ruggles

Catharine (Kay) M. Ruggles, 86, passed away early Sunday, July 19, 2009 at the Jane Phillips Medical Center. She and her husband William L. Ruggles have been residents of Bartlesville since 1947. Funeral Services for Mrs. Ruggles will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1501 Swan Drive, with Jeff Hartzfeld First Councilor to the Bishop officiating. Final committal rites will be accorded Mrs. Ruggles in the Memorial Park Cemetery immediately following the service. Online condolences may be left for the Ruggles family at www.honoringmemories.com Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home. She was born on January 15, 1923 in New York City to the late Ben E. and Ruth E. Brown, Kay moved with her family to Lawrence, Kansas as a child. She received all of her formal schooling in Lawrence including receiving her Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Kansas University (KU) in June of 1946. As a youth, Kay was very active in Girl Scouts, student government activities and drama. Her interest in Girl Scouts led her to serve as a troop leader as an adult. While in college, Catharine was a member of the "Jay Janes", a women's pep organization. She also was employed as a chemist at the Kansas City North American Aircraft Factory between her junior and senior years at KU. Kay and Bill were married on October 7, 1945 in Lawrence when she was a college senior and he was a Navy officer on military leave enroute to his duty station in the Philippines. After a week's honeymoon, she returned to school and he proceeded to his Navy assignment overseas. After Bill's deployment ended, the couple reunited in Lawrence where Bill entered KU graduate school and Kay worked as a secretary for the University's Civil Engineering Department and as a chemist for the Kansas Geological Survey Group. They moved to Bartlesville when Bill completed his graduate work and was employed by Phillips Petroleum Company. In addition to raising six children with her husband, Catharine was an avid gardener and amateur artist. Kay is survived by her husband Bill of 63 years, and six children: David and his wife Kazuko of Las Vegas, Helen Bristol and her husband Ed of Bartlesville, Brent and his wife Cheryl of Snecksville, PA., Steve and his wife Marcia of Colorado Springs, Tracy and his wife Anita of Catoosa, and Tim and his wife JoAnne of Houston, TX., her two sisters Doranne Brown of Philadelphia and Marjorie Vinueza of Wechester, PA., nineteen grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren and numerous other extended family members and friends. In lieu of flowers, Kay's family suggests that persons wishing to honor her do so by making donations to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 15186, Austin TX 78761 or the Bartlesville Green Country Garden Club 918-333-2299, 1630 Smysor Dr., Bartlesville, Ok 74006 or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (3rd Ward Missionary Fund) attention: Bishop Kevin Reid 1501 Swan Drive, Bartlesville, OK 74006. The Ruggles Family has entrusted Neekamp-Luginbuel Funeral Home with the arrangements and funeral services.

Service Details

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 10:00am, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Bartlesville

Interment Details

Memorial Park Cemetery Bartlesville