Mrs. Kathleen Martin Ruehlen, 83, long-time Bartlesville resident and widow of the late Forrest Nolan Ruehlen, passed away at 3:00AM on Thursday, December 20th in the home of her son, Gary. A memorial service will be held at 2:00PM on Friday, December 28th in the Sneed Chapel of the First United Methodist Church in Bartlesville. The Reverend Emery Mason and The Reverend Buz Wierick will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to a charity of one's choice. Kathleen was born February 15th, 1924, in Otis Kansas, to Henry and Miriam Martin. Her childhood was spent in the western Kansas communities of McCracken and Utica. She attended Ft. Hayes Kansas State College where, in 1943, she met and married Forrest. In 1945 Forrest accepted a position with Phillips Petroleum Company, so the couple moved to Oklahoma and established their home in Bartlesville. Kathleen's main devotion in life was to her family. She was happy as a homemaker, lovingly raising their four children. Kathleen was active in the Women's Circle of the First United Methodist Church and was a member of the 20th Century Sunday School Class there. She always enjoyed gardening and was a member of the Green Thumb Garden Club. She also loved traveling with her children and grandchildren, and was an avid reader and bridge player. She volunteered at the Jane Phillips Hospital gift shop, and she and Forrest loved delivering "Meals-on-Wheels." Forrest passed away in 1999, and Kathleen is survived by one son, Gary L. and wife Kay, of Bartlesville; three daughters, Karen J. McCorkle and husband Craig, of Bartlesville; Rebecca J. Crisp and husband John Larry, of Tucson, AZ; Kathleen "Kay" Sass and husband Dennis, of Wilton, IA. She is also survived by 7 grandchildren, Jason, Rebecca (DeLong), Mary (Huesmann), Laura and Julia Sass, Kary Ruehlen and Robbie Stafford; and four great-grandchildren, Drew, Nolan, Isabelle DeLong and Charles Huesmann.
Service Details
Friday, December 28th, 2007 2:00pm, First United Methodist Church Bartlesville