Ruth Nadine (Ives) Fenton

On February 19, 2024, Ruth Nadine (Ives) Fenton caught her last glimpse of the sunset on this earth. Ruth was born on August 27, 1936, to Harold and Hilma (Fisher) Ives. She was the sixth of eight children growing up just north of the Stockton city limits. Sharing her early years on the farm with three brothers, three sisters, three cousins, and then two nieces later on.

Ruth enjoyed helping her dad on the farm. She attended school in Stockton, and during her high school years, she was a barista at the local drugstore/soda shop, working for her uncle Lee Robinson. The local football boys hung out there after school and practice. By chance, one of those boys asked her if she would go out with him, and she told him no. But his friend Raleigh Fenton said, “Well, how about going out with me?” Their life story began with movie nights, hunting adventures, motorcycle riding, and more.

Ruth married her high school sweetheart, Raleigh Earl Fenton, on October 6, 1957. Ruth’s dad wasn’t so happy about losing one of his best-hired hands, as the story goes. Ruth and Raleigh celebrated 67 years of life together on their farm east of Stockton. In the early years, Ruth worked at the local ASCS office, transitioning to stay-at-home mother to daughters Kathy and Kristie, and in later years, granddaughter Jamie. Ruth was the best grandma and great-grandma. She babysat every one of them. From the Glover tribe of Amber, Lacey, Ashton, Kaitton, and Mattie to Kristie’s youngest, Jessica, hanging out daily while her parents worked split shifts to the great-grandson of the Balthazors.

Ruth fulfilled many duties on the farm, from farm gopher, harvest meal cook, and delivery woman, parts runner, tractor driver, farm chauffeur, equipment mover, neighborhood lawn mower, nursemaid to baby calves (even allowing them in her living room to warm by the fire) to name a few. Ruth began working outside the home again in 1984, delivering mail to a large portion of the territory east of Stockton and Woodston, rain, snow, or sunshine, until she retired in 2011.

Ruth (in her family’s humble opinion) was the best cook around. Her fried chicken brought friends and family to their home regularly. She rarely followed a recipe or used measuring tools. Her best meals were made when cleaning out the refrigerator with recipes too rare to be duplicated by others. No one ever left feeling unwelcome or hungry. She made her house a home. She was a natural-born caregiver for friends, neighbors, her parents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and Raleigh, even to the end, concerned he wasn’t eating properly and getting enough rest. Ruth had many talents: seamstress, organist, hairstylist, pianist, vocalist, and wedding cake baker, to name a few.

Her loved ones will forever remember her as the cat whisperer. Taming the wildest of cats into a favorite, often a privileged house cat. She lovingly took in the strays often dumped at the end of the driveway (others must have known of her talents). These cats became her regular morning chore, feeding them and loving them and counting them each morning to make sure none were missing from the herd. And yes, we do mean herd. Another of her favorite things besides cats were sunrises and sunsets. Beginning each morning at the breakfast table with Raleigh, watching the sunrise with a cup of coffee.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Hilma Ives; brothers AJ (Norma) Ives, Max (Lavonne) Ives, and Dean (Earlene) Ives; sisters Elaine (Edward) Yoxall, Norma Moore, and Joyce Keeten; father and mother-in-law Earl and Mattie Fenton; sisters-in-law Janeva (Warren) Jones and Janette (Herb) Jones; daughter Kristie (Steven) Johnston; and her beloved boxer Annie.

She is survived by her husband Raleigh of the home, daughter Kathy (Jim) Glover of Larned, sister Dixie Rose of Wagoner, Okla.; brother-in-law Donnie Keeten of Glade; granddaughters Jamie (Adam) Balthazor and Jessica Johnston all of Stockton, Kaitton and Mattie Glover of Larned; grandson Ashton of Burdett as well as Amber (Micheal) Gray and kids and Lacey Lyne and son of Sterling; great-grandchildren Baileigh, Zeke, Leigha and Blake Balthazor of Stockton, and Samuel Glover-Alvarez of Larned; many nieces and nephews; and a herd of cats.

She requested no funeral. The family will announce a gathering and luncheon later in the spring.