Ruth Hannah Blackstad

Ruth H. Blackstad 82 of Kirksville passed away Friday (September 16, 2011) at Galichia Heart Hospital in Wichita, Kansas.

The daughter of William Penman and Jane (Williams) Jones, she was born July 22, 1929 in Redgranite, Wisconsin. She attended the Redgranite schools and graduated from Redgranite High School in 1946. Following high school, Ruth attended Business College in Milwaukee, WI where she met her soon to be husband, Robert Blackstad. While in Milwaukee, Ruth worked for the Milwaukee Community Chest.

On July 12, 1952, she married Robert Nawai Blackstad in Waukeegan, Illinois. Soon after their marriage Bob & Ruth moved to Wichita, Kansas where Ruth maintained a full-time job raising four children – Robert, Nancy, Richard & Jayne. In 1973, Bob & Ruth transferred to Kirksville, where Ruth worked as the secretary for the Kirksville Department of Special Education. She retired from this position in 1987.

Ruth was a 50+ year member of the Eastern Star, active with the Shrine Jewels and Ladies of the Moose. She spent many a year working with Jewels annual luncheons.

She had a favorite love for visiting Branson and Silver Dollar City, so much so she and Bob visited Branson twice a year enjoying the musical shows and yearly season tickets to Silver Dollar City. Ruth loved country music – her favorite country singer was Ricky Van Shelton. She also had a secret passion for Nascar following Jeff Gordon, her favorite driver.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Robert; her children, son, Robert W. Blackstad and wife Pat, of Bellingham, WA; daughter, Nancy L. (Blackstad) Jabara and husband Jeff, of Wichita, KS; son, Richard B. Blackstad and wife Jennifer, of Kirksville; daughter, Jayne E. (Blackstad) Spangler, of San Antonio, TX. Grandchildren - Michael and Dennis Blackstad of Mesa, AZ; Jamie (Jabara) Buer and husband Eric; of Olathe, KS; Jeremy Jabara of Wichita, KS; Kris Blackstad of Kirksville. One great grandchild Malia June Buer.?? Nephews, Steven and Joseph Zambito; niece, Laurie Jane (Zambito) Fugate, all of Milwaukee, WI.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Jane Jones; one sister, Olwen Jane (Jones) Zambito and brother-in-law, Joseph Zambito; and son-in-law, Michael Ray Spangler.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday (September 20, 2011) at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home with Reverend Richard Northcutt officiating. Entombment will be in the Maple Hills Mausoleum in Kirksville, MO.

Pallbearers will be John Rowe, Randy Lunsford, Jack Hamlin, Jeremy Jabara, Kris Blackstad, and Eric Buer.

Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Monday (September 19, 2011) at the
Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home, 2100 E. Shepherd Avenue, Kirksville, MO 665-3744 • 665-2233

Memorials can be made American Cancer Society or Hospice of Northeast Missouri.