There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot ...
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance … Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Ruth was born in Muscatine, Iowa to Claude and Ella Healy. As a child, she began singing duets with her sister, Jean Ruckles. Their mother accompanied them as a pianist. She has always loved music. She graduated from Muscatine HIgh School, and the University of Iowa in 1944 with an Education degree.
During summers of college years, she worked for the Georgian Bay Line, a ship on the Great Lakes. She sang at the services and crew shows. She met her first husband, Jack Burns, on the ship where he was a Chef. They had one son, John Kenworthy Burns. After their divorce 12 years later, she was single for 6 years until she met and married Richard Johnson in 1964 at Village Church.
She was step-mom to Chris and Jay Johnson who had lost their mother , LaVern Johnson, by death at ages and 11 and 8. Richard was an usher at Village Church for over 50 years and Ruth sang in the choir for over 50 years. Ruth said, “It’s a good thing we didn’t sit in the congregation because Dick would want to sit in the back, while I was a front row person!”
Her love of music led her to Village Presbyterian Church choir and eventually became a member of the church. She loved singing in the choir every Sunday and in many church programs. She would attend Church of the Resurrection with her daughter in law, Karla, for many years to enjoy hearing the contemporary choir and 2nd church service of the day! For about 2 years, she sang in the Encore choir there, using her walker and proudly singing beautifully from the alter. She cherished the moments when she would flag down Pastor Adam Hamilton, and he would always stop to greet her. She even made it this past Christmas Eve with her family, where her wheelchair was in the front row. Following the candlelight service, she caught the attention of Adam’s wife, who shared a hug.
Ruth’s career as a teacher began in Iowa for several years, then on to Turner School District in Kansas City, where she taught 7th and 8th grades for 37 years. She met Karla Rusnak there in 1981 as a colleague and friend. Yes, 2 years later, Karla married her step-son, Jay. Whenever she introduced Karla to someone, she let this fact be known! This relationship was/is quite unique because they were good friends before becoming relatives, and remained close until the day she passed.
As most of her friends and family know, Ruth was the type of woman you could talk to about anything. She was amazingly open-minded, accepting of people and their individual preferences, and loved diversity in society. This quality really shined in her later years and captured the hearts of many!
After retirement, she became very active in clubs. She often wondered how she ever had time to work! She was president of Leawood Garden Club and of La Sertoma, Docent for the Kansas City Zoo, Zoo School teacher during summers, Stephen Ministry,and more!
She liked to travel, and has fond memories of her trips with docents from the zoo and her docent friend Sara Mckinley. She loved to travel with her sister Jean in the U.S.and overseas. She was always grateful her husband was supportive of this travel.
She and Dick went to Russia together, and several cruises. She traveled to Paris, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and England.
Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Claude and Ella Healy; her sister, Jean Ruckles; her beloved husband, Dick Johnson; step-son, Chris Johnson;daughter-in-law, Jane Burns; and niece, Jennifer Blake.
Beloved survivors include her son, John Burns; step-son, Jay Johnson (Karla); daughter-in-law, Teryn Johnson; grandchildren, Sean Burns (Brenda), Jason Burns (Susan Stang), Lindsay Johnson, Dr. Michael Johnson (Lindsay), Candice Johnson (Adam), Mike Johnson (Rosanna), and Angela Johnson; and her great grandchildren, Blake, Grant, Tyler, Jack, Tate, Ella, Anna, Bailey, Trenton, Landon, Jared, Cheyenne, Steven, and Shane; Nieces, Carol Ann Zorich, and Deborah Proffitt.
Donations in Ruth’s memory may be sent to either the Kansas City Zoo or Village Presbyterian Church...
Zoo: https://www.kansascityzoo.org/shop/memorial-gift/ or mail to 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64132
Church: 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, Kansas 66208 or wait until the Celebration of Life at the church where a donation basket will be available, https://www.villagepres.org/
CELEBRATION OF RUTH’S LIFE SERVICE is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, February 16 at 2:00 p.m. at Village Presbyterian Church with a reception in Friendship Hall following the service.
*This delayed memorial is due to construction at the church. We all know it’s worth waiting for the repairs to the sanctuary, so the choir and organist will accompany Ruth’s service, as she dearly mentioned in her wishes! Of course, should there be construction delay, the family will announce in the Kansas City Star obituaries on Wednesday, February 13th and the website: www.mtmoriah.net
*The music CD playing at her visitation was created by Karla’s cousin and her husband, Cheryl and Steve LaRue for Karla’s dear Uncle Dick (Richard) who passed five days before Ruth. Ruth’s dear friend, Carrie Stracy, captured the very last song Ruth sang to her, and her husband, George on December 27, 2019. Amazing how beautifully she sang just over 2 weeks before passing to heaven.
