Ruth Mariereed Wiksten

Ruth Wiksten died in Topeka, which was her home for the past seventy years. She was born in Greensburg, Kansas, June 19th 1915. Her family later moved to Elkhart, Kansas where she spent her childhood. Ruth attended Park College in Missouri and next attended nursing school at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She graduated from nursing in 1937, and married her husband Vernon Wiksten that same year. They lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where he completed his medical residency and specialty training in allergy and asthma. During this time Ruth worked as a pediatric nurse. When Vernon's training was completed in 1941 they moved to Topeka, where they started their family and raised four children. Ruth remained a life-long Topekan. She was very active in her community and with her family. She lived independently almost all her entire life, spending her last few years as a resident of Brewster Place.

Her husband preceded her in death in 1982. She is survived by her children: David Wiksten and his wife, Joan, of Topeka, Betsy McKillop, of Salem, OR, Diane Gordy, of Topeka, and Barbara Millard and her husband Gary, of Smithville, MO. Ruth enjoyed each of her eleven grandchildren and was delighted to have sixteen great-grandchildren.

She was active in her church, West Side Baptist, and in the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a founding member of EP Chapter of PEO which included very dear friends through the years. Of particular interest to her was genealogy, and she was active in research for the Topeka Genealogy Society.

Funeral ceremonies with be 1:00 p.m., Saturday, September 4, 2010 at the West Side Baptist Church, 1008 SW 4th Topeka, KS 66606. Interment will follow at Penwell-Gabel Cemetery, Topeka. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to West Side Baptist Church, or to the Genealogy Department of the Topeka Shawnee County Library, 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS 66604. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is assisting with arrangements.