Ruth M. Johnston, of rural Newton County, passed away Thursday, February 23, 2023. She was born in Carthage, MO, on February 14, 1929, the daughter of the late Ernest S. Evans, Sr., and Sarah Hardean Hunton Evans.
She graduated from Carthage High School in 1947 and attended Joplin Junior College where she took liberal arts and business classes.
She worked as a secretary for the Boeing Company in Wichita, KS, from 1949 to 1952 and worked at Beneficial Finance in Joplin for two years. She then worked for the Missouri Highway Department in Joplin for 16 years, the last 15 as the secretary for the district engineer, the highest-ranking administrator in the region. Among her duties was using shorthand to make a transcript of all comments and actions at public hearings of the highway department. She had outstanding shorthand and typing skills. Before the era of personal computers, she was the only secretary in the office who used an electric typewriter.
She married William E. Johnston at Carthage on May 4, 1952. Her brother, Bob, who worked for Bill in the logging business, had introduced the couple. Bill was known as an outstanding businessman in several areas of interest. Ruth often said of Bill: “He was one of the most honest people I’ve ever known”. Bill Johnston passed away on February 10, 1999.
She and her husband first lived at Fidelity Corner and later moved to Joplin and Anderson before building their last home in 1982 in rural Newton County.
She loved animals, both dogs and cats, and had cats as personal companions during her recent years. Collecting and recycling cat food cans, she told her cat Snow Ball: “I’ll bet you’ve bought 50 pairs of eyeglasses for the elderly.” She was known for her quick wit and lively sense of humor.
Ruth enjoyed reading, watching television and going out to eat. “Any kind of chocolate is good!”
She was an active member of First Baptist Church of Anderson, MO. Keeping a set of Bible commentaries with her Bible on the stand beside her couch, she used them for many years in studying her Sunday School lessons. “I liked the interesting comments and various translations, but I have read the Bible through so many times, I don’t need the commentaries that much anymore”, she recently explained.
She was preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth Jane Plew; and five brothers, Ernest S. Evans, Jr., Robert E. Evans, Charles William “Bill” Evans, Donald Dean Evans, and Ronald Hunton Evans.
She is survived by several nieces and nephews.
Per Ruth’s wishes, there was cremation. No formal services will be held. Online condolences may be expressed through www.knellmortuary.com.
