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Ruth Ann Nutt

d. February 7, 2022

** Memorial service for Ruth Ann Nutt, 100, Baldwin City, will be held at Baldwin First United Methodist Church at 1 p.m. on Wed., May 4, 2022. **

In the presence of her loving husband of 79 years, Donald, and also her professional and wonderful caregivers, Ruth Ann Nutt, age 100, passed away peacefully on February 7, 2022 at Brandon Woods in Lawrence KS.  To the end, her grace, indomitable spirit and caring for others touched everyone around her.

Ruth Ann was born November 14, 1921 to Ross and Nera (Bishop) Yocum in Osawatomie KS.  After graduating from Osawatomie High School in 1939, she began a job with Triple A in nearby Paola KS and soon something happened that set a course for the remainder of her life.  Her boyfriend was unexpectedly called in to work one evening and as a gentleman, he asked her if his friend, Donald, could keep the date that evening in his stead. The three remained lifelong friends, and the rest of Donald’s life was also forever changed.

Donald and Ruth Ann married on September 20, 1942.  In December 1942, Donald’s U.S. Army service began which took them on brief excursions to Aberdeen MD, Fort Ord in California, then Anniston AL before Donald shipped out to France for service during World War II.  Recounting those days, Don said, “I kissed her goodbye on the street in Anniston and did not see her again for 22 months.”

The young couple moved to Baldwin City KS in 1946 where Donald enrolled in Baker University, graduating in 1950, and Ruth Ann began work as an administrative assistant in the office of the Kansas East Conference of the United Methodist Church.  It is during this time that Ruth Ann’s commitment to service to others began and grew.  As the mother of three sons, she balanced family life with shared service to her beloved community Baldwin City.  Her many activities over 71 years of residency there included 40 years teaching youth Sunday school, lifelong membership in United Methodist Women and 50 years of sharing time with friends in the Tuesday Reading Club.  She was a P.E.O. member for over 50 years.  She served on the committee that planned the first parade the first year of Baldwin City’s famous Maple Leaf Festival.  She missed the remaining decades of that parade while preparing and serving chili in the Methodist Church kitchen for hungry parade attendees.

Growing up on a farm and as a rural resident west of Baldwin City until the early 1990s when moving into town, farm and rural family life, especially youth, was close to her heart. Don recalls one severe winter night when he found a newly born lamb separated from its mother and nearly frozen.  Ruth Ann bathed it in warm water, held it on the couch wrapped in a blanket until it recovered for return to mama.  She could handle those things as well as being the first woman board president of the Douglas County Extension Council and also a founding Board member of the Douglas County 4H Foundation.

After Don’s retirement from a 40 year career in the Baldwin State Bank, Don and Ruth Ann shared their life long love affair traveling together with Baker University friends on trips to England, Ireland, Scotland and France.  They greatly valued those shared times and memories.

Ruth Ann was preceded in death by her Yocum siblings Jim, Wayne, Rosemary and Ralph.

She is survived by her husband, Donald, also now age 100.  Additionally sons Michael Nutt (Denise), Mark Nutt (Patty) and David Nutt (Suzanne).  Also surviving are grandchildren Sara Nutt (David Gagne), Brad Nutt (Eleysha), Kelsey Nutt (Sue), Matthew Nutt (Elizabeth Zamora), Erica Gador (Matt), Lauren Nutt and Kimberly Sachs (Eric).  Also great grandchildren Lennox Nutt, Sierra Nutt, Elliot Nutt, Rowan Nutt, Augustus Gagne, Emery Gagne, Freya Gador, Benjamin Sachs and Jack Sachs.

Services will be announced at a later date.

Memorial contributions can be made to either the First United Methodist Church of Baldwin City or the Donald and Ruth Ann Nutt Scholarship Fund at Baker University and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS  66044.

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