Ruth Ann Spears

July 9, 1945 - March 30, 2022

Ruth Ann Spears of Tahlequah, Oklahoma was born at home in Tahlequah on July 9, 1945, to Johnie and Edith (Craig) Davidson. In the early years of her life her family moved around quite a bit between several states for her dad’s work. She really did enjoy going to school in Glendale, Arizona when they lived there. When she was a young girl Ruth’s family had a fruit stand that she worked at with her family. She really enjoyed working at it, learning to buy and sell the fruits and vegetables. While in Oklahoma she attended Lane School at Eldon, near Tahlequah. After graduating from Lane school, she attended Tahlequah High School, which she graduated from in 1962. She went to college at Northeastern until she got married to Kenneth Spears and started a family soon after. She went back to college after her kids were in school and graduated with a master’s degree in Home Economics in July 1973. The family moved to Coffeyville, Kansas for a couple of years while she taught Home Economics at the junior high there. They moved back to Tahlequah where she returned to Northeastern and got her master’s degree in Special Education in July 1980. She then taught Learning Disabilities and Reading Recovery at Wagoner Public Schools until she retired in 2007 to help with her twin grandchildren. While teaching at Wagoner she was made Teacher of The Year in 1990. Ruth enjoyed teaching school very much and had fond memories of her students through the years. Through the years she served in her church as deaconess, church clerk, Pathfinder Leader and Sabbath School teacher. Ruth enjoyed getting together with family for the holidays. She was the family pie baker and always made a chocolate pie using her mom’s recipe. She was an avid reader and enjoyed reading with and to her grandkids and any others nearby. She loved going on “junking” trips with her family, and she will definitely be misses during those excursions. Ruth also enjoyed getting together with her family to scrapbook and make cards. She liked going to the scrapbook conventions with her daughter, sister, and niece. She collected Crayola ornaments and Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls and loved vintage stuff. Ruth passed away on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma at the age of 76. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Johnnie Lee Davidson and sister, Kathy Shankle. She is survived by her husband Kenneth of Tahlequah: her daughter Renee Wiswell and her husband Ken, of Tahlequah: her son Roger Spears and his wife Carol, of Stilwell: grandchildren Matthew and Tyler Wiswell, of Tahlequah and Calllie, Abby and Cash Spears, of Stilwell: brother Mel Davidson and his wife, Marie, of Tahlequah. She also leaves behind many extended family members that she loved very much.