Ruth Ilene Ellsworth, 88, long-time resident of Olathe, passed away July 12, 2019 at Benton House of Lenexa.

She was born on November 24, 1930 to Truman and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Frownfelter in Cairo, Nebraska. Growing up, she lived in Garden City, Sunflower Village, and Edgerton, KS.

Ruth (Frownfelter) married Leroy Ellsworth on June 5, 1949 and remained happily married until Leroy’s passing in 2011.

Ruth wore many hats and touched many lives. She was highly involved in the Oxford Hustlers 4-H program during her early years of motherhood. When all of her children were in school, she returned to school, earning her BS in Education from KU and a Masters in Education from Emporia State. For the next 19 years, she taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades at Westview, Ridgeview, and Havencroft schools in Olathe.

As her children grew up and began lives of their own, Ruth continued to find ways to expand her experiences and education. She learned tap dancing and was part of a Senior Dance Troup, she acted in the Chestnut Community Theater in Olathe, participated in the Intergenerational Choir, took art lessons, volunteered in her church (Grace Christian Fellowship Church in Shawnee) organizing and running their Pioneer Clubs for boys and girls and, later, a Young at Heart group for the church seniors.

As Leroy battled with Alzheimers, he and Ruth moved to Cedar Lake Village in Olathe, KS. While a resident there, she was involved with an acting group, a bell-choir, regularly sang in the Village Church, was an ambassador to future residents, and helped start the Village library. After being widowed for several years, Ruth moved to Benton House in Lenexa in 2017 where she lived until July 12, 2019.

Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Ellsworth, her father, Truman Odel Frownfelter, her mother, Elizabeth Florene Frownfelter, her brother Jim Frownfelter, her sisters Joy Dee Frownfelter, Anita Myers, and Jackie Wilson.

Ruth is survived by her sister, Norma Reibel (Melvin), and her brother, Mickey Frownfelter (Lynnette), her four children, Terry Ellsworth (Teresa), Stan Ellsworth (Lori), Phil Ellsworth (Jan), and Diana Pemberton (Mark), 15 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.

Her Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 3, 2019, 10:00 AM at the Cedar Lake Village Chapel, 15325 S. Lone Elm Road, Olathe, KS. Burial will follow at Edgerton Cemetery, Edgerton, KS.

In lieu of flowers, if anyone would like to give a token of honor or remembrance, what would please Ruth Ellsworth more than anything would be a generous donation to your favorite Christian church or charity in remembrance of a life well-lived.




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