Ruth V. Kellar

Ruth Vanneman Kellar, 83, passed away September 10, 2019. She was born in Denver, Colorado in January 1936, and attended the University of Colorado, where she was a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She went on to receive her M.S. degree from Indiana University. She is survived by daughter-in-law Shannon Cagle Dawson; three grandchildren, Kathryn Dawson, Kellan Dawson, and Delaney Dawson. She is also survived by step-daughter Kathryn Kellar Smith (Rande), Nashville, IN and step-son David Wayne Kellar (Janice), Kokomo; step-granddaughters Kelly Byram Wright (Maurice), Kokomo; Amanda Byram Shepard, Kokomo; Mary Kellar Brown, Lebanon, IN; Susan Kellar Luyster (John), Lafayette, IN. 11 step-great grandchildren - Taliah, Reece, Addison, and Bella Wright, Jaylee Gillem, Mariah Shepard, Jackson, Zachary, Bobby Brown, Katie and Abby Luyster. She was preceded in death by her mother, Ethel Vanneman Coberly, her beloved husband Raymond Kellar, her son Rick Dawson, and a step-grandson, Michael Patrick Kellar. Ruth moved to Kokomo in 1966, where she worked as a Child Welfare Officer and Chief Probation Officer before working at Ivy Tech Kokomo. She ultimately retired from Ivy Tech as Dean of Instruction. She was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash, the National Athena Award, and was a member of the Howard County Academy of Women, as well as the First Leadership Academy of Ivy Tech. Ruth was very involved in Kokomo charities and enjoyed not only antiquing with her husband Ray, but growing her collection of teddy bears and selling antique postcards to like-minded enthusiasts in Indiana and around the world. However, one of her greatest leadership roles was in the Tri Kappa sorority. Initiated in 1964, Ruth went on to hold several offices, both in the Kokomo Beta Lambda chapter and at the statewide level. She became Council President for the 1991-1993 biennium under the theme "Without a Woman in It," and went on to organize and chair the Tri Kappa 100th Anniversary Celebration. The number of lives touched by Ruth's committed service, to women especially, is untold. Memorial contributions may be made to Kappa Kappa Kappa Inc Memorial Fund, 941 E 86th St #103, Indianapolis 46240 Visitation will be Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Ellers Mortuary Webster Street Chapel, 3400 South Webster Street, Kokomo.