Shawnee resident Mary Jo Ruggles, 82, died Tuesday, October 9, in Shawnee.

She was born on November 12, 1924, in Gladbrook, Iowa, the seventh daughter of Fred and Marie Gethmann.

After graduating from Gladbrook High School, Mary Jo took teacher training courses at the University of Northern Iowa and then worked as an elementary school teacher in Essex, Iowa. Later, she worked as an accountant in Gladbrook and in Shawnee, where she met her husband, Gareth Ruggles.

She married Gareth in 1966, and they enjoyed forty years together, before he died in September 2007. For almost 20 years, they lived in Garden City, Kansas, where Mary Jo completed her B.S. degree in elementary education at St. Mary of the Plains College. After Gareth retired from teaching at Garden City Community College, the couple moved to Shawnee.

Mary Jo was very active in her church, especially the children's ministry. She was Children's Worship Coordinator at Wesley United Methodist Church for twelve years, and she and Gareth both served on the Discipleship Council as coordinators of Bible ministry. She was also active in Loving Hope Circle and Senior Adults and was a member of the American Bible Society.

She also loved gardening and bird-watching and listening to the children in her neighborhood talk as they sat on her porch and ate ice cream and cookies.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; six of her sisters; one step-sister and one step-brother.

Survivors include her sister, Winifred Thomsen of Gladbrook; five nieces; and seven nephews; and many other loving friends and relatives.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday at Resthaven Funeral Home.

Service will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday at Wesley United Methodist Church with Dr. Marvin Hudson officiating.

Burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park.