Ruth Mitchael
Ruth Darlene Gathman Mitchael, 84, of Gravette, died on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017, at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale.
She was born March
10, 1933, to
John Gathman and Waneta Jones Gathman in Pittsburg, Kan. She attended First Christian Church in Mindenmines, Mo., and attended school in Mindenmines. After graduating, she spent one year at Kansas State Teachers College in Pittsburgh, Kan., and then moved to Wichita, Kan., and took a position with Boeing, where she met John Mitchael in 1952. They married on Feb. 1, 1953, and raised three children in Derby, Kan. They moved to Gravette in 1991, after John retired from Boeing. She was a member of First Christian Church in Gravette.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one sister, Dortha Mae Dudley; one brother, John Gathman Jr.; a granddaughter, Rebecca Lynn Thurman; and a step-father, Ray Maxwell.
She is survived by her husband of 64 years, John Lee Mitchael; a daughter, Jan Rene` Mitchael Thurman (Clayton); sons, Steven Lee Mitchael (Jill), and Jay Scott Mitchael (Jennifer); six grandchildren, Randy Scott Thurman, Lauren Michelle Mitchael, Jake Lee Mitchael, Joshua Reed Mitchael, Jayni Elizabeth Mitchael, and Ava Jordan Ruth Mitchael; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-greatgrandchild.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at the First Christian Church in Gravette. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Heritage Baptist Church in Gravette. Graveside services, for family only, will be at the Lee Cemetery. Arrangements are by Bella Vista Funeral Home, Bella Vista.