Ruth Marie Eakle

Ruth Marie Sutton Eakle was born on May 25, 1940 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Her parents were Charles Aly Sutton and Anna Laura Myers Sutton of St. Louis, Missouri. Ruth was raised in St. Louis in a neighborhood near Shaw’s Gardens. She grew up in Third Baptist Church of St. Louis where she made her profession of faith on an Easter Sunday at the age of 16. Ruth had an older half brother Charles Philip Sutton.

Ruth’s parents were married in their early 40s. It was Charles’ second marriage but Laura Anna’s first marriage. Ruth’s mother was told she would never be able to have children so Ruth was a miracle for her especially as she was in her early 40s when she had Ruth. Ruth at a young age was involved in dance, played the violin and took up sewing, quilting etc. Playing violin and her sewing/quilting would be something she continued most of her life. Ruth’s favorite past times were reading and playing her violin which she continued with as an adult. She also enjoyed as a young girl playing football with the boys. She had many Sutton family members that she enjoyed spending time with in St. Louis as she grew up. Ruth also participated in the St. Louis All-City Orchestra where she became the principal violinist and was able to perform along with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Ruth attended school at Roosevelt High School in St. Louis where she graduated in 1958. She then attended the University of Missouri where she received her Bachelor of Arts. While at MU she was a member of the university orchestra playing her violin and viola. It was at MU that she met her lifelong friends as roommates and part of a sewing club. These ladies would also later serve as her bride’s maids. She later went to Fort Worth to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where she received her Master of Religious Education. Ruth then began working for the Southern Baptist Home Missions in St. Louis for a year.

Ruth would meet the love of her life in St. Louis at Third Baptist Church, Gerald Wayne Eakle. Gerald and Ruth were married at Third Baptist Church on October 28, 1967. Ruth and Gerald made their home near her parents in the Tower Grove Park area of St. Louis. This is where they had their two sons John Charles (1969) and David Wayne Eakle (1970). Gerald reported and Ruth confirms that she originally wanted 12 children. Upon David’s arrival she strangely decided she was done—David says it is because he is worth 11 children. She worked a short time as a social worker before having her sons.

Her mother passed away shortly before John was born and then Gerald’s father passed away in 1970 so this prompted them to move back to Quinton in 1972 to help look after Gerald’s mother who was alone on a 300 acre farm. This was a large adjustment to Ruth as she was a city girl and had not experienced farm life. Mom was very fascinated by armadillo’s and was discovered outside in the middle of the night following one around with a flashlight. Ruth also lost her father shortly after moving to Quinton but she developed a strong bond with Edith Eakle, Gerald’s mother. Ruth would tell you that Edith was her Naomi just like in the Book of Ruth in the Bible. Ruth spent lots of time on the farm canning, growing a large vegetable garden, planting fruit trees and soaking in the farm life. I have memories of her and Edith even making lye soap together.

Ruth decided in the 1980s she would go back to school at Eastern Oklahoma Junior College to get her Associate’s degree as a registered nurse. She worked at McAlester Regional Hospital Surgical floor and worked as a home health nurse for a time. Ruth took a job with Muskogee Regional Hospital where she worked for many years in the OB/GYN department before retiring in 2004.

They moved to a farm outside of Muskogee, OK in 1992 while John and David where in college. They also moved Edith Eakle there to care for her as she aged until she passed in 2001. Mom began quilting, tatting and many other projects again during her retirement. She became involved with Gerald in a prison ministry and teaching classes at First Baptist Muskogee where they became members with their son David. She would travel to the reunions in Missouri that her college friends had as they stayed in touch all of those years. Ruth was honored by Call Rape in Tulsa as a beacon of light to victims that she had helped that found their farm house after escaping. This is when mom shared her story from early in their marriage in St. Louis when she worked as a social worker. She used her experiences and talents throughout her life to minister to others and point them towards Christ our Savior. She made baby quilts, quilts for friends, family and people she met through their prison ministry. Ruth loved to support Habitat for Humanity, college campus ministries and Prestonwood Pregnancy Center.

Gerald and Ruth moved to Little Elm, Texas in August of 2017 so that their son could better help care for them. Ruth and Gerald were married for 52 years until his passing in May 2020. Ruth passed away in her sleep at Lake Village Nursing Home in Lewisville, TX on October 11, 2024 at the age of 84. Her faith in Christ carried her through many of life’s trials and led her to help others. She is survived by her two sons and will be greatly missed.

The family has planned a Graveside service for Saturday, October 19, 2024, 10am, at West Liberty Cemetery located 31784–31788 W Liberty Rd, Quinton, OK.