GIONTA, Ruth M. (Corbell)

Ruth Marie Corbell Gionta passed away on Friday, April 10, 2009. She was born in Okmulgee, OK on September 29, 1920, to David H. and Dessie (Fender) Corbell. Ruth graduated from Okmulgee High School in 1938 and attended Oklahoma College for Women at Chickasha, OK in 1938-1939. Later Ruth attended and graduated from Northeastern State University with a B.S. in Business 1943 and with a M.A. in English 1969. She taught in Braggs and Beggs High Schools from 1940-1943 and worked at Philips Petroleum Company during World War II, 1943-1947. Ruth married John B. Gionta in 1946 and during their 35 years of marriage the Gionta's moved from Okmulgee to Kansas City, KS, back to Oklahoma, Baghdad, Iraq, to Tahlequah, OK, and to Muskogee, OK. After the death of her husband John, Ruth volunteered in Whittier, Grant Foreman and Irving public schools, the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, Martin Luther King street nursing home, teacher of the AARP Senior Citizen drivers' instruction course, political campaigns for both democratic and republican candidates, member of the Kiwanis Senior Citizens' art class and the Muskogee Art Guild, the New Community Church and participated at prayer study groups. Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and two sisters, Martha Corbell Milroy Smith and Helen Corbell Milroy. She is survived by her daughter, Jean Retherford and her husband Steve of Plymouth, MI; son, Nello Gionta and his wife Mary Ann of Broken Arrow; granddaughters, Leah Retherford of New York, NY and Amy Gaulke and her husband Chris of Ann Arbor, MI; grandsons, Dan Retherford and wife Julia of South Lyon, MI and David Gionta of Broken Arrow, OK; great-granddaughter, Reese Retherford of South Lyon, MI; sisters, Betty Kubicek of Okmulgee, OK, Patricia Hoig and husband Stanley of Edmond, OK, nieces, Angela and husband Roy Reed of Tulsa, JoAnn Gionta of Tulsa, Carol Belter and husband Robert of Okmulgee, Lisa Walter and husband Jerry of PA; nephews, Jimmy and wife Judy Milroy of Crowder, OK, Johnny Milroy of Tulsa, Randy and wife Jeany Dennis of Nashville, TN, Mel Hoig of Edmond, and Brent Hoig of Edmond and many treasured friends and Angels. The family would request donations be made to the New Community Church Building Fund, 3600 E. Shawnee, Muskogee, OK 74403.A funeral service to honor the life of Mrs. Gionta will be 10:00 AM, Monday, April 13, 2009 at New Community Church with Reverend Tim Salters officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.The family has entrusted Bradley Family Funeral Service of Muskogee with the arrangements.