Ruth Ellen Annis

December 28, 1939 - November 09, 2020

Ruth Ellen (Sherbert) Annis, age 80, of Oakley, passed away Monday, November 9, 2020 with family by her side at her home in Oakley, KS.  She was born December 28, 1939 at their farmhouse near Broughton in Clay County, KS to Akin and Mary (Townsend) Sherbert.  She married Maurice Arthur Annis on June 18, 1961 in Salina.  They have two sons, Thomas and Douglas.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Maurice, brother Dwight Sherbert, and half-sisters:  Ethel Luthi, Velma Handley, infant twin half-sisters, Leona May and Iona Fay Sherbert, half-brother, Melvin Sherbert,  and nephews:  Jeffrey Sherbert, Jason Furrer, Monty Miller, and Scott Studebaker.

Ruth is survived by her sons:  Thomas (Suzy) Annis of Oakley, and Douglas (Denise) Annis of Parker, CO, and four grandchildren:  Eric and Josiah of Oakley, Luke of Omaha, NE, and Sarah of Parker, CO.  Also surviving are her siblings:  Bill (Phyllis) Sherbert of Chapman, KS, Janet Waters of Phoenix, AZ, Adela "Del" Furrer of Abilene, KS, Ann (Mike) Smith of Peoria, AZ, Sue (Paul) Cruz of Lorenzo, TX and Kay (Dennis) Kreifels of Syracuse, NE, sister-in-law Marlyn (Dwight) Sherbert and many nieces and nephews.

Growing up on the family farm, Ruth and her seven siblings learned to work hard at an early age.  She was ironing the family's clothes at age six and cooking dinner, making dessert, and watching the younger children at age eight.  She learned to cook and sew from her mom and grandma and became quite accomplished at both.  In her own home, she loved to welcome guests and treat them to delicious meals, often with homemade breads, cinnamon rolls, or pies.  During the blizzard of 1983, she organized the women of the United Methodist Church to feed three meals to over 300 stranded travelers, including two huge pots of her soup which had to be pulled on a sled to the church.  Ruth was salutatorian of the Clay Center High School class of 1957, and she graduated from Asbury Hospital School of Nursing in Salina in 1960.  She was a Registered Nurse working in hospitals in Manhattan and later in Oakley.

Ruth and Maurice met at a dance in Salina.  They danced the night away and Maurice took her home that night where he asked her for a second date while on her door step.  Ruth was busy Friday night and Saturday night.  Sensing there was no interest, Maurice turned to walk away, when Ruth said, "…but, I'm not doing anything Sunday night."  Six months later they were married in Salina.

Attending Kansas State University in the summer of 1966, while Ruth was pregnant with Thomas, they lived in a trailer court when the Tornado of 1966 hit Manhattan, KS.  Having no air conditioning, they had their windows open and playing cards with friends, when they saw a neighbor rushing back and forth to his car loading it quickly.  Inquiring what was going on they learned a tornado was headed their way.  Okay… now where to go?  The big limestone dairy barn was the closest sturdy building, so they quickly split up and each took a row to knock on doors to alert the others.  Ruth was first to the barn and asked how to get to the SW corner of the barn.  The keeper directed them to the basement instead.  When the other men finally came down the stairs Ruth asked where Maurice was.  They didn't like giving the answer that he went back for the back row that they had all forgotten.  No one was killed in the trailer park that day due to Ruth and Maurice's actions.  And, their trailer was the ONLY trailer to not be moved and thereby still operational during the tornado recovery as a central kitchen organized by Ruth like she did as a child for her family growing up.

She and Maurice owned and operated the Annis Supermarket in Oakley from 1970 to 1978.  She also was a Financial Advisor with Waddell & Reed alongside Maurice for many years.  Ruth was an active member of the Country Chapel, Oakley, and was involved in many church and community activities over the years, including the United Methodist Youth Fellowship, United Methodist Women, the Logan County Tree Board, and the Western Plains Arts Council.  She enjoyed traveling and loved her grandkids and being involved with anything they were doing.

Ruth is most remembered by many for her love for the Lord and music.  She effortlessly combined these two by composing many Christian hymns and songs, one of which was copyrighted.  Music was always a part of the family and filled the home.  On longer family car trips, she played her guitar and taught her boys to sing parts at a young age.  When family visited, they would often gather and sing around Ruth at the piano.  She also played her accordion for youth group and choir caroling parties.  She loved singing in the church choir as well as trios and quartets with her sons, singing many of the songs she had written.  She helped plan and lead worship at the Country Chapel.  Ruth passed her love of music all the way down to her grandchildren.  For all of these things her family will be forever grateful.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 16, 2020 at United Christian Church in Oakley, with Phil Beesley officiating.  Interment will follow at the Oakley Cemetery.  Visitation will be on Sunday, November 15th, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church.  Memorials to the Country Chapel and Hospice Services of Northwest Kansas may be sent in care of Kennedy-Koster Funeral Home, PO Box 221, Oakley, KS 67748.

Services will also be available online.  Visit www.kennedykosterfh.com for more details on the Facebook Live Funeral Service and the Zoom Funeral Dinner Service.

Sign the online Guestbook at www.kennedykosterfh.com

Facebook Live Funeral Service for Ruth E. Annis
Monday, November 16, 2020 @ 10 am
The purpose of this is so you can view the service live. It will be recorded and posted on the United Christian Church, Oakley KS group page for later viewing as well.
We will go Live at 9:55 am.
Prior to the Service please verify you can find us.
In Facebook Search within Groups for "United Christian Church, Oakley KS". You may then request to be a member. This is the Group from which you will find "Thomas M. Annis" posting a Facebook Live feed.

You can also Friend Request me, Thomas M. Annis, and you will get a personal notification when I go Live as well. I'm not sure if you need to follow me or not.
We will have a Test Run on Saturday, November 14 at 5 pm Central Time to test your connections. We also will have a Test Run with Zoom at that time too so you can join us there too.

Zoom Funeral Dinner for Ruth E. Annis
Monday, November 16, 2020 at 12 pm (or there very shortly after).
The purpose of this is so family and friends can interact as we normally do at a Funeral Dinner. It will be recorded and posted on the United Christian Church, Oakley KS group page for later viewing as well.
Access via a PC
 In your web browser go to www.zoom.us
 Click Join Meeting
 Enter the Meeting ID: 819 6739 1116 and Click Join
 Click Launch Meeting to see both Options Download Now and Launch in Browser
 Choose the Option that best fits you. Option 1: Download the Zoom App or Option 2: Join Meeting via a web browser.
a. Option 1: Download the Zoom App (easiest for me)
i. Click Download Now
ii. Run the Zoom executable to download and install.
iii. The Zoom App opens up immediately after the install (if 2nd time running Click the Windows Key, bottom Left of the screen and type "zoom" to locate your Zoom App.
iv. Follow onscreen instructions to set up your userid and password.
b. Option 2: Join Meeting via a web browser. (You may need to disable pop-up blockers)
i. Click Join from Your Browser
ii. Enter your Name. Click I'm not a Robot Bock. Click Join.
iii. Enter Meeting Passcode "REA80". Click Join
iv. Click "Join Audio by Computer"
v. Click Start Video if you wish us to see your picture. (Allow the browser to access your Microphone and Camera if asked).
vi. WELCOME TO ZOOM!
Access Zoom via a Mobile Device
 Search for Zoom in your Apps Store
 Once installed, Setup your Zoom Account with your email and set your password (follow the prompts)
 Open the Zoom App And Select Join
 Enter the Meeting ID: 819 6739 1116
 Enter the Password: REA80
 Select Call using Internet Audio
 And LAST but not Least. CALL Thomas at 785-672-2654 if you need any help.