LYNDON, Kan. – Ruth Ann Mounkes, 78, of Lyndon, Kan., passed away Wednesday, May 19, 2021, at Saint Luke’s South Hospital, Overland Park, Kan. Ruth was born March 16, 1943, in Hope, Kan., to Evan G. and Winifred Ruth (Kleopfer) Engle.
Ruth spent her early life in Hope, graduating from Hope High School in 1961. She later graduated from Brown Mackie Business College, Salina, Kan.
She soon met a young Air Force man stationed at Schillings AFB, in Salina, James R. Christian, and they were married in 1962. They had two children, James R. Christian Jr. and Richard L. Christian. During his military service they were stationed in Salina, Abilene, Texas, and Alaska before being discharged to his native Nashville, Tenn., where they lived until 1968, when they moved to Lyndon. In 1971, Jim was killed in a car accident. Ruth remained in Lyndon and later met and married Gerald Mounkes.
She had worked for the district office of the USDA-FSIS as a resource analyst in Topeka, Kan., from 1978 until her office was relocated to Lawrence, Kan., 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 Resource Center for Independent Living for Osage County, Kan., for more than 10 years. She enjoyed working outdoors, fishing, her church work, and most of all, spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchild.
Ruth is survived by two sons, James R. “Jim” Christian and wife, Maria, of Olathe, Kan., and Richard L. “Rick” Christian and wife, Dana, Lee’s Summit, Mo.; two sisters, Glenda Tompkins, Salina, Kan., and Cathy Schaben, Lincoln, Neb.; a brother, Max Engle, Emporia, Kan.; 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; and a great granddaughter, Arielle, and one due in October.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald K. Mounkes, in 1996; three sisters, Carmen, Corinne and LaDonna; and a brother, Mike.
Services will be 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, at the Mt. Pleasant Community Church, 26075 S. Berryton Rd., Lyndon, with burial to follow in Lyndon Cemetery. The family will greet friends 11 a.m. until service time Tuesday, at the church.
Donations are suggested 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. Condolences can be left at www.feltnerfuneralhome.com.
