Ruth Mead

On Friday, May 13, 2022, Ruth Mead passed away at the age of 86 - with family and friends by her side. Ruth is survived by her four children: Mark, Dan, Kathy and John as well as close friend and partner, Daryl Utt.

Ruth was born September 10, 1935, in Welda Kansas - the tenth child of twelve and last daughter of Bethany and Irvin Neuenswander. Ruth moved with the family around Kansas and Texas before attending John Brown University where she met and subsequently married David Mead in 1956. They raised four children together across multiple states and countries.

Always a voracious reader and beginning in her late 20's, Ruth began consuming (read, marked up, folded down corners, and re-read) untold thousands of books related to Christianity, psychology, theology and broader philosophy in her search for meaning and the nature of "Truth". Ruth was also a prolific writer - constantly penning down thoughts, questions, new ideas and insights onto reams of typing and notebook paper as well as on napkins, book pages, magazine covers, calendars, toilet paper and anything a pen could leave an indelible mark upon - and in her 40's became a published author of Christian books. Ruth also had a profound interest in the causes and potential cures for stammering - a liability so debilitating that she completely refrained from answering the telephone or speaking in public. Her constant writing eventually lent her a new voice and her own cure. She became a significant contributor to the on-line stammering community - publishing several more books and providing them for free on her website. Her on-line presence allowed her to scale her vision and cure to reach others with the stammering ailment across many languages. She developed many long-lasting relationships across the stammering community and was a recognized contributor to the stammering field from Paris-Sorbonne University.

For those that knew Ruth well, she was empathetic, inquisitive, and funny but also avant-garde and non-conformist. Kids loved her instinctively; young adults marveled at her capacity to transcend generational ideas, notions, and stereotypes; and adults often found her an enigma - forever discussing ideas, concepts and meaning. She always asked probing questions and listened deeply - profoundly interested in responses and feedback - often discussing into the wee hours of the morning and powered by coffee. For her children, Ruth was an amazing mother. While conventional performance metrics and achievements of her children were of little importance to her, conversation and discussion were the hallmarks of a full and robust life and she insisted that they engage. Freedom to roam, test, and taste life were her lasting guidance for her children. She listened and loved completely. Her children brought her joy and she returned it in spades.

Ruth loved Kansas and moved back there five years ago to be closer to her brothers, sisters and other relatives and friends. It's fitting that her final days were in Kansas. Ruth's cremated remains will be inurned at a grave-side memorial on Friday, June 17, 2022, at 3:00 p.m., in the Colony Cemetery, Colony, Kansas, close to her parents and some of her siblings. Goodbye momma, grandma, aunt Ruthie, sister and dear friend. We love and miss you. Watch over us.

Memorials are suggested to the Colony Community Church, and may be left with Feuerborn Family Funeral Service, 1883 US Highway 54, Iola, Kansas.

Condolences for the family may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com .