Ruth E. McKinnis, age 99, of Richmond, died Wednesday evening (February 7, 2018) after a brief illness at Reid Health. She was born in Richmond on April 15, 1918 to August and Margaret Mulligan Schneider and had lived here all of her life. She attended Saint Mary's Parochial School and Dennis Junior High School before graduating from Richmond's Morton High School in 1936. After graduating from Ball State she was a teacher for 41 years spending two years teaching in Boone County, Indiana before joining Richmond Community Schools. In Richmond, she taught mainly fourth grade at Hibberd and C.R. Richardson. She was a member of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish where she served as a Eucharistic Minister at Saint Mary, Catholic Women United, Wayne County Retired Teachers, Ex Teachers Group, a life member of AAUW and had volunteered at Reid Hospital and for Meals on Wheels. She also cooked at Richmond Community Kitchen with members from Saint Mary. She loved to attend Richmond High School basketball games and enjoyed visiting with former students. Ruth found great pleasure in traveling and attending Civic Theatre. She was also very fond of fishing.
She is survived by her niece, Helen Glosson of Richmond; her nephew, Daniel Connell of Morehead, Kentucky; many great nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Duncan McKinnis, who died on June 17, 1987. Ruth's sisters, Helen Maurer and Marjorie Connell are also deceased as are nieces and nephews Robert Maurer, Dorothea Rihm, Patricia Weiss, James Maurer and Mary Connell.
Liturgy of Christian Burial will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday (February 13, 2018) in Saint Mary Church. Father Kevin Morris will officiate. Burial will be in Earlham Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday (February 13, 2018) from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to Reid Foundation, 1100 Reid Parkway, Richmond, Indiana 47374 or to a favorite charity.