Ruth Muriel (Barker) Mease, a long-time resident of Nowata, Oklahoma, was called to be with her Lord and Savior on April 4, 2009. Mrs. Mease was born on December 15, 1924, the ninth of twelve children, to Charles Clell and Lena Matilda Barker, in Pittsburg, Kansas. Mrs. Mease was a life-long member of the Lutheran Church, and was a student of St. Paul's Lutheran Parochial School and Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville, Kansas. Her family moved to Pasadena, Texas, during her senior year of high school, and she met and married Van J. Mease of Canton, North Carolina, at Pasadena, Texas on March 2, 1942. After 57 years of marriage, Mr. Mease preceded her in death on May 21, 1999. Mrs. Mease was a loving mother, wife, and homemaker, and she will be remembered as one whose primary focus was her faith and her family. She was also active in her community, holding offices in several organizations including Youth Guiders, Nowata Lioness Club, and the Women's Legion Auxiliary. She also helped her husband in his State Farm insurance business. Mrs. Mease is survived by her three children: Vickie Rae (Mease) Doughty and husband, Daryl, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; Michel Kent Mease and wife, Leta, of Bixby, Oklahoma; and Rev. Van Edward Mease and wife, Rebecca, of Leavenworth, Kansas; and six grandchildren, Lisa Renee (Mease) Young and husband, Mark, of Branson, Missouri; Stefan Kent Doughty and wife, Noella, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kyle Edward Doughty of Dallas, Texas; Daniel Curtis Mease of New York City; Jeffrey Michel Mease of Bixby, Oklahoma, and Leah Ruth Mease of Leavenworth, Kansas; two step-grandsons, Dayan Briskey of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and Dyrahn Briskey of Sterling, Colorado, as well as five great-grandchildren, Madison Doughty, Austin Doughty, Logan Young, Landon Young and Lezlie Young and one step great-granddaughter, Erika Young, of Indianapolis, Indiana. She also is survived by one sister, Kathleen Alida Todd of Coffeyville, Kansas, and one brother, John Wayne Barker and wife, Ginny, of Camdenton, Missouri. In addition to family, Mrs. Mease leaves behind two loving and devoted caregivers, Ellen (Shortie) Diamond and Tonya Epple. Besides her husband, Mrs. Mease was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Clell, Charles, Hubert, Albert, Lawrence, Richard and Donald, and sisters Mildred and Lois. Services for Mrs. Mease will be held in St. Paul's Lutheran Church at 9th and Spruce in Coffeyville, Kansas, on Friday, April 10, at 1:00 PM. Her six grandchildren will proudly serve as her pallbearers. Following the funeral service, Mrs. Mease will be laid to rest in the Nowata Cemetery next to her husband. Services are under the direction of Benjamin Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at Benjamin Funeral Home Tuesday the 7th thru Thursday the 8th 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Online condolences may be left for the Mease family at www.honoringmemories.com In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 506 W 9th St. (PO Box 263), Coffeyville, KS 67337 or 10-33 Emergency Team, 321 E Cherokee, Nowata, OK 74048.
Service Details
Friday, April 10th, 2009 1:00pm
Interment Details
Nowata Memorial Park Cemetery