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- [S927] Obituary.
Ruth L. Newhart, 85, St. Joseph, died Tuesday, August 28, 2012, peacefully at home.
She was born November 1, 1926, in Wellington, New Zealand, where her father was a missionary for the RLDS church.
With her parents, she came to the United States in 1928 and settled in Lamoni, Iowa.
She attended Lamoni Public School from kindergarten through high school. She graduated in 1944.
The family moved that year to Omaha, Neb., where she worked as a riveter on B-29’s at the Martin Bomber Plant, in nearby Bellevue, until the end of World War II.
In 1944, she became a naturalized citizen through the derivative citizenship process of her parents.
In 1948, she received a Bachelor of Science degree from Creighton University.
In 1950, she graduated from Creighton Law School with a Juris Doctors degree.
She was employed by Douglas County and Probate Judge Robert Troyer until 1951, when she went to work in the Trust Department of the Omaha National Bank.
During her time living in Omaha, she played in AAU softball, volleyball and basketball.
In 1953, she married John W. Newhart and practiced law in Savannah, Mo.
She reactivated Girl Scouts in Savannah in 1954.
She served as president of the Savannah Dick Munkres Womens’ Legion Auxiliary, and was Republican County Committeewoman. She ran for Probate and Magistrate Judge and later Associate Circuit Judge.
She began teaching for the St. Joseph School District in 1968, where she taught at Central High School for 27 years.
In 1975, she was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis.
In 1978, she was the first to be named St. Joseph Teacher of the Year.
She was forced to a wheelchair in 1981, but continued to teach until 1994.
She is a member of the RLDS church, the St. Joseph and Missouri Retired Teachers, and the Nebraska and Missouri Bar Associations.
She is survived by her husband, John W. Newhart, of the home; two sons, John D. Newhart (Maxine) of Helena, Mo. and Robert T. Newhart (Karen) of Cameron, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Abbey E. Meyer, Drew Newhart, Will Newhart, Kaitlin Newhart, Jacob W.T. Newhart, Hannah Littlejohn, Hallie Summerour and Jacob E. Summerour and three great-grandchildren; one brother, Jason L. Loving, Battle Creek, Mich.; one sister, Blanch G. Charpenel, Austin, Texas and many nieces and nephews.
A daughter, Hilda Jo Summerour, predeceased her, as did one sister, Ethel Diaz; one brother, Paul M. Loving and both parents.
Services: 10 a.m. Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
Interment: Savannah Cemetery.
The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory.
The family suggests memorial gifts to Hands of Hope Hospice.
Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
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1926 - 2012 (85 years)