Ruth Jeanette Grabill, 89, died Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, at Peggy Kelly
House II in Topeka, Kansas. Ruth found within herself three weapons that
served her well in her long battle with Alzheimer's disease: humor,
grace and kisses, lots and lots of kisses.
Ruth was born May 5,
1925, in Newton, Kansas. She was the first child of Ervin John Steiner
and Geneva Dorthea Tangeman Steiner. When Ruth was born the family
farmed north of Newton but moved to the Sedgwick community during the
Depression. She attended three rural Harvey County elementary schools,
Newton High School, and Kansas State University.
Ruth married
Harold Eugene Grabill in Sedgwick on June 26, 1948. They raised two
daughters on their family dairy farm north of Sedgwick. Ruth was a
dutiful farm wife and a loving mother who supported all her girl's 4-H,
church and school activities without question. She taught Sunday school
and was a 4-H sewing teacher. Ruth and Harold were active members of the
Sedgwick Methodist Church until moving to Wichita in 1974. Ruth later
joined Wichita's West Heights United Methodist Church. An
excellent secretary, Ruth began her career working for the Director of
Nursing at Wichita's Wesley Hospital. She soon found her calling as a
school secretary while working as secretary to the principal of Newton
High School. After time away to raise a family, Ruth returned to work as
secretary to the principal of Santa Fe Middle School in Newton. In 1974
Ruth and Harold left the farm and moved to Wichita where she worked at
Friends University's Friends Center on Family Living. Ruth loved that
job most of all and retired from Friends in 1990.
Ruth
leaves behind a sister, Beverly Olson of Salina; two daughters, Susan
Beth Earick (John) of Wichita and Jolene Marie Grabill of Topeka; two
granddaughters, Shelley (Phillip) Nelson of Newton and Lesley (Jason)
Johnson of Whidbey Island, Washington; five great-grandchildren, Rebekah
Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Jenny Nelson, Alyssa Johnson and Collin Liedtke;
one great-great-grandchild, Christopher Nelson; and Jolene's beloved
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Frankie. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Ervin and Neva, and her husband, Harold, who died in 1996.
A viewing and visitation
will be from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at Sedgwick United
Methodist Church, 600 Commercial, Sedgwick, KS 67135. Funeral services
will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, at the church. Burial in Sedgwick's
Hillside Cemetery will follow. A Topeka celebration of Ruth's
life will be held Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. at Kevin Brennan Family
Funeral Home, 2801 S.W. Urish Road, Topeka, KS 66614. Memorial contributions can be made to the
Alzheimer's Association
- South Central and Western Kansas Office, 1820 E. Douglas, Wichita, KS 67214, or Sedgwick United Methodist Church.
