Philip Lee Ruth

Philip Lee Ruth was born on September 21st, 1939 at Walter Reed Army hospital in Washington DC and passed away October 21, 2025 at the age of 86 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lee Frances Ruth and Anne Elvira Newcomer Ruth, brothers Dale Ruth and Kenneth Ruth and his first wife, Pauline Gange and second wife Rosalie Paul. He is survived by his sister Lula E Ruth Orr and husband Bill, brother James Ruth and by his daughters Renee Tinney and husband James, and Colleen Henry and husband Michael, grandchildren Jennifer Kessler and husband Troy, Jessica Evans, Jason Evans and wife Rayanne, Dale Tinney and wife Karina, Dakota Tinney and wife Kendra, Curtis Matranga, Tanasha Matrange and Katie Matrange and husband Carlos, 8 great grandchildren and one due soon and 2 great great grandchildren.

He lived a full and rich life. He graduated from Midwest City high school in 1957, He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served 22 years as a Czechoslovakian linguist stationed in Germany, Texas, Nebraska, MIchigan, California and Maryland. After retiring from the military, he joined the National Security Agency and served for 18 years. After retiring from the NSA he joined General Dynamics and finally retired in 2004. He traveled to Austria, Czecholovakia, Poland, Budapest, Hungary, Bucharest, Romania, Sofia, Bulgaria,and Spain during his career.

He enjoyed bowling with a 186 average, Volksmarsching {people's walking}, biking, jogging {running half marathons at Walt Disney World}, and in 1982 began round dancing {choreographed ballroom dancing} which he kept up until his passing. He also joined Bikes for the World, volunteered at Oxley Nature Center in Tulsa, Ok, volunteered at Wild Heart Ranch and finally volunteered at the VA center in Claremore, Ok. He also was a member of the bike patrol for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park where he helped visitors and assisted in first aid and patrolling the canal. He also helped in the Peace Corps by purchasing a herd of cows and calves for 10 small villages in Thailand for families with AIDS and was able to visit the villages and meet with the chiefs of the villages. He really loved dancing and received numerous awards over the years from several organizations for his great volunteer work.

After cremation, his ashes will be buried next to his second wife, Rosalie Paul at Rest Haven Cemetery in Hagerstown, MD with a military graveside service. In lieu of flowers, he asked instead for donations to the following charity: Running Strong for American Indian Youth, www.indianyouth.org.