Ruth Colclasure

After 86 years, our beloved wife and mother Ruth—fondly known as Ruthie or Sissy—passed from this life on September 26, 2022, in Tulsa, OK.  She was surrounded by her loving family, including her husband of 66 years, Wayne.  The sweetest, most loving and giving wife, mother, grandma, great-grandma, and friend, Ruthie always put others before herself.  She was a Christian with great faith, love, and compassion, a woman who served her family, church, and community throughout her life.  Our family finds great comfort and peace knowing that she was greeted in Heaven by her Lord Jesus Christ and that she was reunited with her mom and dad and her brothers Don and Richard.

Ruthie was born on March 17, 1936, In Independence, KS, the first child of Andrew Turner and Agnes (Eversole) Turner. When she was five, the family moved to Nowata, where she was raised. After graduating high school there, she attended Oklahoma Baptist University, where she met Gipson Wayne Colclasure.  They married on June 1, 1956. Wayne and Ruthie raised their family in Tulsa and later in Nowata.  Surviving Ruthie are her blessed children:   Mark and his wife Jennifer of Tulsa; Craig and his wife Linda Ann of Rugby, England; Linda of Nowata; and Laura and her husband Carman of Checotah.  Ruthie was blessed with nine grandchildren, Casey, Brett, Michael, Kyleigh, Isla, Natalie, Jim, Mason and Deacon and seven great-grandchildren; Riley, Hudson, Brady, Caleb, Barrett, Brooks and Bodhi, upon whom she showered gifts, affection, an abundance of stories, and precious time.  She created many special memories for and with her family.  She delighted in sharing stories, stories that will keep a treasury of memories alive for those who got to enjoy them.  In addition to her immediate family, she is survived by her Colclasure, Turner, and Eversole families, including several cousins, nephew Andrew and nieces Michelle, Angela, Kim, and Kristi.

Ruthie took pleasure in serving others—family, friends, and church.  She was an active member of First Baptist Church in Nowata and Eastwood Baptist in Tulsa, where she taught Sunday school to children for many years. A few of her best stories came from these children. As long-time owners and operators of the Bliss Restaurant in Nowata, Wayne and Ruthie provided food, fellowship, and employment for the Nowata community for 27 years.  Ruthie spent countless hours at the front counter and register greeting customers with her friendly face and demeanor.  Using her easy-going, joyful manner to put people at ease, if she didn't know you when you came in, she knew you before you left!

Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church Nowata at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 29, 2022, with a private burial following.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making contributions to Porta Caeli House in Tulsa.