Ruth Richards

Ruth Marian (Wheaton) Richards, 94, died July 11, 2011 at Life Care Center of Casper, Wyoming after a brief illness. Services will be Friday, July 15 at 11:00 AM. at Bustard's Funeral Home with Pastor Jug Brandjord officiating. Visitation will be Thursday July 14th from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Bustard's. Interment will be at Highland Cemetery. Ruth was born December 24, 1916 in the gold mining town of Trojan, in the Black Hills of South Dakota to Arthur Raymond "Shorty" Wheaton and Hazel Catherine (Patton) Wheaton. The family moved to Casper in 1920 where Ruth's father helped build the Wyoming National Bank, Bustard's Funeral Home as well as homes for his family and others. Ruth attended Casper schools, graduating from Natrona County High School with the class of 1935. Ruth worked at Kassis Department Store as a bookkeeper, Mountain Bell Telephone and Casper Air Base during World War II as a telephone operator, and most recently at Marilyn's Fabrics where she enjoyed many buying trips with her friend and store owner, lone Ratcliff. Ruth married Julius Marion "Dude" "Jimmy" Richards of Holdenville, Oklahoma on October 20, 1946 in Rawlins, Wyoming. The couple lived in Oklahoma and Cody, Wyoming before returning to Casper in 1953. She was a homemaker and bookkeeper for her husband's book sales career. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church. Ruth was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed a lifelong interest in sewing, good food, and genealogy. She was the keeper of her family's historic documents and photos and worked diligently with her niece Mary Switzer to compile a comprehensive family tree leaving it as her legacy to future generations. Ruth's grandfather, Charlie Patton came to the Black Hills from Scioto County, Ohio in 1884 to mine for gold. Her grandmother, Mary Ellen Anderson Patton came west with her family from Civil War ravaged Wilkes County, North Carolina. Mary Ellen had ancestral ties back to the founding days of Virginia. Ruth's mother was born in Nevada Gulch in the Black Hills near Terry, SO in 1896. Her father came west from New York with his brother Charlie Wheaton in 1906 to work in South Dakota. His family had service in the Revolutionary War and ties to Massachusetts dating back to the 1630's. Like her ancestors, Ruth lived a long, happy life, maintained her vibrant love of history, and was able to live independently until shortly before her death. Ruth's parents, husband, sister Hazel Bonnie Wheaton (Mrs. Ernest Allen "Bill" Sikes) and nephew William Ernest "Bill" Sikes preceded her in death. She is survived by daughters Ann Wheaton Entrekin and husband Robert E Entrekin of Casper, Susan Carol Davis and husband Robert L Davis of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; granddaughters Lisa Ann (Davis) Ruane and husband Dr. Michael 0 Ruane of Greeley, Colorado, Sara Lee Davis of Grand Canyon, Arizona and Amber Anne Entrekin of Fort Collins, Colorado; great granddaughters Mary Dell Ruane and Meghan Claire Ruane of Greeley, Colorado; nieces Mary Allen {Sikes)Switzer of Scottsdale, Arizona and Julie Ann (Sikes) Cole of Carthage, Missouri; numerous grand nieces and grand nephews; and treasured friends Lois and Jug Brandjord. The family requests donations to Central Wyoming Hospice according to Ruth's wishes.

Visitation

Thursday, July 14, 2011 8:00am - 8:00pm

Bustard's Funeral Directors and Crematory

600 C.Y. Avenue

Casper, WY 82601