OVERLAND PARK — Ruth Ann Mounkes, Lyndon, died Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at Saint Luke’s South Hospital in Overland Park. She was 78.
Ruth was born March 16, 1943, in Hope, to Evan G. and Winifred Ruth (Kleopfer) Engle. She spent her early life in Hope, graduating from Hope High School in 1961. She later graduated from Brown Mackie Business College in Salina.
She soon met a young Air Force man, James R. Christian, stationed at Schillings Air Force Base in Salina, and they were married in 1962. They had two children, James R. Christian Jr. and Richard L. Christian. During James’ military service, they were stationed in Salina, Abilene, Texas, and Alaska before James was discharged to his native Nashville, Tenn., where they lived until 1968, when they moved to Lyndon. Jim was killed in a car accident in 1971. Ruth remained in Lyndon, where she later met and married Gerald Mounkes.
Ruth had worked for the district office of the USDA-FSIS as a resource analyst in Topeka from 1978 until her office was relocated to Lawrence in 1997. She continued to work in Lawrence until she retired in 2010, after 32 years of service. After retirement, she began work as the church secretary for Mt. Pleasant Community Church, where she was a longtime member and Sunday School teacher. She had also served on the board of RCIL (Resource Center for Independent Living) for Osage County for over 10 years. She enjoyed working outdoors, fishing, church work and, most of all, spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald K. Mounkes, in 1996; three sisters, Carmen, Corinne and LaDonna; and a brother, Mike.
Ruth is survived by two sons, James R. “Jim” (Maria) Christian, Olathe, and Richard L. “Rick” (Dana) Christian, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; two sisters, Glenda Tompkins, Salina, and Cathy Schaben, Lincoln, Neb.; a brother, Max Engle, Emporia; three sisters-in-law, Sharon (Mounkes) Barnhart and husband, Norman, Topeka, and Anne (Christian) White and Vicki (Christian) Patterson, both of Hendersonville, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Jordan, Kaitlyn, Alison and Brianna; a great-granddaughter, Arielle; and one due in October.
Services will be noon Tuesday, May 25, at the Mt. Pleasant Community Church, 26075 S. Berryton Rd., Lyndon, with burial to follow at Lyndon Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 11 a.m. until service time May 25 at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Keith Worthington Chapter of the ALS Foundation or to the Mt. Pleasant Community Church, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451.
Online condolences for the family may be expressed at FeltnerFuneralHome.com.
