Ruthanne Whitely

Derby - Whitely, Ruthanne 95, passed away Monday, March 3, 2025. She was born March 29, 1929 to Roy and Ida Nelson in Bristow, Nebraska.
For the first 12 years of her life, Ruthanne and her two younger sisters, Luella and Margie, lived with their parents on a farm in northern Nebraska. In 1942, when she was 13, the family moved to Dallas, Oregon, where Roy worked at the local lumber mill. Ruthanne was an extrovert from the start and involved herself in many activities, including the pep squad. She graduated from Dallas High School in 1947 and attended college in Las Cruces, New Mexico for one year, living with her Uncle Tommy and Aunt Myrtle. She returned to Salem, Oregon and went to work at a bank, where she met Richard Whitely. They were married on February 25,1950 and moved to Corvalis where Richard attended Oregon State University. They had four children, Bruce, Jane, Peggy and Randy and spent most of their early years in California and Texas, where Richard worked as an Electronics Engineer. In 1974 they moved to Seattle to take a job with Boeing, and in 1978 Ruthanne and Richard transferred to Wichita, KS. Ruthanne lived in Kansas for 20 years, then moved to Salem, Oregon to be near her mother and sisters; after her mother passed at age 100, she moved back to Kansas in 2005, where she resumed her busy life in Derby with her many friends and enjoyed visits by her three children, eight grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.
Ruthanne studied horticulture as a hobby and was an avid gardener; her knowledge of plants and trees was unsurpassed in the Whitely family; she did ceramics for many years with her own kiln, producing works of art which remain treasures to this day; she served as a soroptimist for many years, and served at His Helping Hands food distribution in Wichita for many years. She was a beloved friend to many in both Derby and the Wichita area. She truly leaves a legacy of compassion and philanthropy, especially for those less fortunate.
She was preceded in death by Richard, her husband of 33 years, daughter Peggy (age 18), and Ruthanne's two younger sisters and their husbands.
Ruthanne is survived by three children, Bruce Whitely, Jane Schwarz, and Randolph Whitely.
Memorial Service: Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 S. Woodlawn, Derby, KS 67037 at 1pm, Saturday, March 8, 2025. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Woodlawn United Methodist Church (Memo: Ruthanne Whitely Memorial Fund), where Ruthanne attended for nearly four decades. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Ruthanne Whitely, please visit our Tree Store.