Ruth Beattie Johnson

Ruth Johnson, 96, passed away on June 11, 2022, in Grand Prairie, TX.
Ruth Johnson was born on September 18, 1925 in Beaumont, TX, to Aubrey Evelyn Beattie and Olive Frances Ryan Beattie, who had recently immigrated from Nova Scotia, Canada.

In May of 1942 Ruth graduated as valedictorian from Lake Charles High School in Lake Charles, LA. In June of 1942 her family returned to Beaumont where she went to and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Lamar Junior College in May 1944. That fall she transferred to LSU in Baton Rouge, LA, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history in May 1946. By May 1947 she earned a Masters in Library Science (MLS) from Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio.
While attending Lamar, she paid for school by working a half time job at the Tyrell Public Library in Beaumont, TX. That decision set her on a career as a librarian. After graduating from library school she went on to work as a public librarian for Hawthorne Public Library in Indianapolis,IN, as a faculty librarian at LSU in Baton Rouge, LA, and a public school librarian at Webster High School in Tulsa, OK, as a university library orientation instructor, children’s literature professor and reference librarian at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK, as a junior college reference librarian at Amarillo College, Amarillo, TX,and as an elementary public school librarian at Whitman Elementary in Tulsa, OK and at Great Expectations summer camps until her retirement in 1988. She is know as a # 1 story teller, often in full costume, a trait that her children and grand children have inherited along with her lifetime love of reading and reading aloud.
Ruth married John (Jack) Byers Johnson, Jr. on July 26, 1948 in Beaumont, TX. The couple had 1 biological child, Karen J. Anderson, of Grand Prairie, and 1 adopted child, Erik Alan Johnson, deceased on Feb 22, 2020.

Ruth was best known for incessant talking, love of reading and reading aloud, giving delightful book reviews, volunteering, cooking, sewing Karen’s clothes and making doll clothes, giving great Bible study answers and Sunday school class comments.
Ruth is survived by Karen Johnson Anderson (daughter) and Bruce E. Anderson (son-in-law) of Grand Prairie; Benjamin James Anderson (grandson) Mauna Z. Anderson (spouse) and Asher Maddox Anderson (great-grandson) of Fort Worth, TX; Bethany J Grainger (granddaughter) and Nicholas Grainger (spouse) of Wylie, TX; John Hensley Beattie (brother) and Penny Beattie (spouse) of Hendersonville, NC; Brian Hensley Beattie (nephew) and Julia Beattie (spouse) of Medford, OR and their children Audrey, Elizabeth and John; Laurie Beattie Pounds (niece) and Phillip Pounds (spouse) of Isle of Palms, SC and her children: Jeffrey Kelly of Charleston, SC, Jack Kelly and Charlotte (spouse) of Wilmington, NC; Scott Beattie (nephew) and son Zachary Beattie of Hendersonville, NC; Kathleen Hazlett (niece) of Cedar Hill, TX; Murray Hazlett (nephew) and Terry Hazlett (spouse) of Hereford, TX and his children: Sam Hazlett, Robert Hazlett, and Taylor Hazlett.
Ruth is preceded in death by Aubrey Beattie (father), Olive Beattie (mother), multiple aunts, uncles, and grand parents from Nova Scotia, John Byers Johnson, Sr. (father-in-law), Mabel Johnson and Muriel Johnson (mothers-in-law), John Byers Johnson, Jr. (spouse), Charles Johnson, (brother-in-law), Shirley Hazlett (sister) and Gene Hazlett (brother-in -law), John Ryan Hazlett (great nephew), Donna Beattie (sister-in-law), Kyle Beattie (nephew), 1 miscarried baby, Erik Johnson (son), Joseph Gabriel Anderson (grandson).

Private Family Burial: Rolling Oaks Memorial Gardens, 4300 E. 91st St, Tulsa, OK 74137. Contact Alan 918 299 5705
The Tulsa, Oklahoma service scheduled for Ruth Johnson at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church service and reception has been postponed due to covid.
The Arlington, Texas service for Ruth Johnson will be held on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. at Wade Funeral Home , 4140 West Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, TX 76013. Please wear a mask to protect family. Feel free to wear bright colors. Contact Nick Kannenberg 817 274 9233
Memorial donations can be made in Ruth’s name to Cal Farley’s Boy’s Ranch, Amarillo, TX (calfarley.org); Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church: missions, Tulsa, OK (thekirk.com); Samaritan’s Purse (samaritanspurse.org), Campus Crusade for Christ (cru.org), YMCA of the Rockies (ymcarockies.org), YMCA World Service (ymca.org), Sam Schreiner chapter YMCA Alumni; Goodland Academy, Hugo, OK (goodland.org), Tulsa Metro Retired Educators Assoc., Barbara Powers, TMREA Treasurer, 205 S. 183rd E Ave., Tulsa, OK 74108; or your favorite classical radio station.