Ruth Ann Aldag
December 31, 1935 ~ July 5, 2021
RUTH ANN ALDAG (nee Barnhart)
Passed away, July 5, 2021 in Wichita, KS at age 85.
She was preceded in death by her spouse, David Aldag in 2020; parents, Mary Alice and Oscar Barnhart; and sister, Mary McCoy. Ruth Ann will always be remembered as a wonderful mother, favorite aunt, great friend, special neighbor and generous spirit. She was an excellent pilot, horsewoman and marksman.
Ruth Ann and Dave shared 66 years of life together.
She graduated from Hickman High School in Columbia, MO in 1953 and was a proud Kewpie, attending nearly every high school reunion. She earned a degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University while raising her three children, and taught elementary students in Kansas and Oklahoma for over 20 years. Ruth Ann was the glue that held the family together from move to move throughout Kansas, Indiana and Oklahoma, following Dave’s career moves.
Ruth Ann earned her pilot's license at age fifty after Dave lost his license due to a heart attack. She most loved flying with Dave in their small plane to see grandchildren and friends. They flew themselves from North Carolina to Alaska and everywhere in-between. Their overseas travels included Hawaii, Australia, US Virgin Islands and Germany.
Ruth Ann was actively involved in the Seekers Sunday School class at Hillside Christian Church.
Survived by: brother, Frank Barnhart of Oregon; daughters, Patty Cowan (Mike) of Wichita and Roberta Lentz (Bruce) of St. Joseph, MI; son, Tom (Lori) of Wichita; cherished grandchildren, Tessa Walcher (Conrad) of OKC, Kathryn Cowan & Claire Cowan of KC, Tiffany Williams (Luke) of Paso Robles, CA, Lilith Lentz & Kiera Lentz of Grand Rapids, MI, Levi Aldag of KC; and adored great-grandchildren, Channing & Nova.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1:00 pm, Saturday August 14 at Downing and Lahey East Mortuary in Wichita. Service will be Live Streamed and available to view by clicking "Watch Event" below.
Please honor Ruth Ann for her love of stewardship by making memorial contributions to: Child Advocacy Center of Sedgwick County, 1211 S Emporia St, Wichita, KS 67211 or www.cacsckansas.org.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Ruth Ann Barnhart was a fairy princess in gingham (probably not, but the farmhouse solidified it in memory) then cloud-coated white who had asked me to be her flower girl. ]Her mom made handkerchief mouses. Yes, mouses. In the gravel driveway circle at the bottom of a dell south of the road was a big cherry tree full of ripening cherries in front of aforesaid farmhouse. A glassed-in porch? Or was that the kitchen?] Me being teased at the reception for separating the petals to get them on the carpet just so for her path up the aisle to marry my older brother, she saw & came to my rescue. [The bride prevailed with commanding grace.] To a five & a half-year-old, that’s a big deal. Ann understood. No wonder she spent her professional life as a beloved, respected teacher. All her accolades are earned. As for her life as wife and mother, she holds few peers in my experience, and & fewer still I loved more. No finer sister-in-law has ever been with all that implies. Her children’s (& their children’s) great good fortune is such a mom, my brother’s even greater fortune in a wife will console you of this being orphaned thing. I promise. Someone told me early on: grief is the wound survived to keep love alive. It helped immensely. The family does not dwindle if we do our best to remember each other. Missing her is remembering her for now. You’ll get used to it. Again, I promise.