Our Beloved Don Cunningham

OUR PRECIOUS RUTH ANN

OCTOBER 1, 1942 - MARCH 20, 2009

EULOGY TO RUTH ANN DELIVERED BY LIZ LEVERETT MILLER

Ruth Ann....... Precious lady.......... Very special lady....... Fantastic friend, we come today to bid you farewell, and to celebrate the life you so graciously shared with us. Ruth Ann was special to many people but she was particularly special to the Ardmore High School Class of 1960. Many of us come here in person to honor her today but there are many, many others here in spirit. She was the Heart of our class and was responsible for keeping us close and connected through fifty years past graduation. Other than family, I can think of no other group of people I’d rather be with nor love more than the Class of 60. Ruth Ann is responsible for us loving and caring for each other the way we do.

Let me take you back in time to 1948 to the small town of Ardmore when the "Class of 60" started first grade. This was a simple time but such a sweet environment for six year old children. It was a time of no air conditioning and playing outside until dark. It was a time of frosted mugs of A&W root beers or cold Dr. Peppers with a few Planters peanuts thrown in for added flavor. It was a time when no one locked their doors, but everyone unlocked their hearts. It was a time when respecting your elders and going to church was as natural as walking and talking. It was a time when you got in trouble at school, you got in more trouble when you got home. It was a good time to grow up. This was the time when Ruth Ann and 164 other six year olds started first grade in Ardmore, Oklahoma. There were four different grade schools and Ruth Ann went to Franklin as did many of those here. When we got to Jr. High, the four schools merged and we all became one for the next six years and Ruth Ann became a big part of all our lives. Even at this young age, she had this kind and loving spirit and we all became aware that this girl was a true and loyal friend. I never heard her speak ill of anyone….which was quite a feat for a Jr. High aged girl. She was never judgmental and accepted everyone for who they were and didn’t ask for more than that. It was a quality that remained with her throughout her life. In high school, I remember being in a home ec class with her and she was just a natural in this environment. The rest of us didn’t know the difference between baking powder and powdered sugar but Ruth Ann could whip up a pan of biscuits as well as our mothers. In fact she won the Betty Crocker award. As girls do at that age, we would often talk about what we hoped our future would hold. I don’t think any of us got exactly what we wanted and Ruth Ann didn’t either. Life doesn’t work that way. She hoped for a husband and family. Although she didn’t get a family in the technical sense, she made the "Class of 60" her family, and how rich we are as a result. I often teased her and called her the “mother of our class” and she would giggle and say,” Now don’t go and try to make me older than you all are because I’m just about the youngest in the class.” Nevertheless, I think she loved the idea.

After we graduated and went our separate paths to college, marriages, births, jobs, graduate schools, divorces, deaths, birthdays, sicknesses, moves, joys, failures, and various life’s events, Ruth Ann was always there to applaud us, pat us on the back, or give us a big hug. She tracked every happening. She has every newspaper article, announcement, picture, card and letter on every person in our class from the last fifty years. What a treasure she left us! All because she cared. Five years after we graduated she and a couple of others decided we needed a class reunion and they worked and organized it. Since that time, Ruth Ann has been in charge and we’ve had a reunion every five years. Through her loving interest and dedication, she has held us together and connected. 2010 will be our 50th and it will be bittersweet without her physical presence but she will be there in each of our hearts.

Even though the weather is snowy and bitter cold, you can see the time and effort her classmates made to attend her funeral to honor her. Many more would have been here had the weather been better. I wish all of you feel the love our class has for each other. Just last night, fourteen of us gathered together at a local restaurant to celebrate Ruth Ann's life and we felt her presence so acutely. She was right in our midst laughing, joking, and having a great time. As we were getting ready to leave, the little waitress came up to us and said, "I've never waited on a group of people that had so much fun together or were so much fun to wait on. I hope I have friends like this someday." Thank you Ruth Ann!!

Ruth Ann, we will always be grateful for the times we shared with you. We take great comfort in knowing that you are now soaring in the presence of eagles and resting in the presence of God. I feel assured that when we die you will be waiting for us with the rest of our class, who have already answered the heavenly roll call , ready to welcome us with a smile and a hug to the eternal class reunion. The Class of 60 loves you!

Dr. Roy Troutt

Dr. Roy Troutt and Ruth Troutt

The Class of 60 will always consider Dr. Troutt our hero. He walked beside us for six of our most formative years, through Jr. High and High School. We remember him standing outside his office with his arms crossed, steely blue eyes sparkling, and calling each of us by name as we passed by changing classes. There was no way we were going to misbehave with that tall, intimidating man overseeing our actions. Yet, in spite of his aura, he created a trust relationship with each of us. We knew we could depend on Dr. Troutt if we needed him. He praised us when it was deserved, and chastised us when we needed it. He made us want to live up to what was expected of us and to do a little bit better than we'd done before. He was instrumental in helping us become who we are. We respected this man. He was our hero!

We all have a story to tell and a lesson to teach this world. For a moment, God gave us Dr. Troutt to teach a very important lesson and he carried out God's instructions with profound greatness. He taught us to make the most of our lives. Dr. Troutt's story is truly a best seller that will be forever immortalized on the hearts of the "Class of 1960". His legacy will carry on. He will remain forever young and forever a hero to us all.