Ruth Maxine Kingsbury

Ruth Maxine Kingsbury was born to JC and Rosa (Horn) Mason in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on April 5, 1934. She passed peacefully from this life on April 13, 2017. She was the daughter of two longtime educators. Her mother taught 2nd grade for over 30 years and her father was a Baptist minister as well as a school teacher and a principal for 31 years. At an early age, Maxine accepted Christ as her Savior and faithfully served Him throughout her life. She regularly attended the First Baptist Church of Prague. After Maxine graduated from Bearden High School in 1951, she chose to follow in the footsteps of her parents and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1955. Almost 25 years later, she went back to school to obtain her Master’s Degree in Art from Central State University. She touched many lives in her 38 years at Strother Schools. She taught business, yearbook, art, home economics and directed many plays. She sponsored the Student Council and 4-H Club at every class level. She was also the class sponsor for the juniors and seniors each year. She designed and built numerous floats for Strother schools, to be entered into the Kolache Festival. She was very involved with almost every school function. She would always help with the school fundraisers and carnivals, as well as help plan and decorate for many proms and graduations. She was very active and invested in the lives of each of her students. She retired from teaching in May 1995. After retiring, volunteering became her full-time job as she continued to do the behind-the-scenes work for the various organizations she served; a majority of the day-to-day business operations for each were run from her home. Maxine was committed and served diligently to her home-town organizations. In 1995, she was appointed by the city council to serve on the Prague Municipal Hospital Board of Trustees. She was the secretary for the Prague Round-Up Club for over 26 years. She served as the Oklahoma State Round-Up Club Association (OSRCA) since 1989 and was a member for the Northeast District and served as secretary also. In 1989, she was awarded the Pride of Prague award and was also named the Citizen of the Year in 1994. Maxine was very passionate for the Kolache Festival. She constantly and faithfully served this organization for over 40 years. She was the backbone of the festival for many years and made it her mission to ensure the festival took place and that it was successful. She served as Chairman of the Kolache Festival Board for over 20 years. She had served on various festival committees and was twice selected as the Grand Marshall of the parade in 1995 and again in 2008. Maxine was a faithful, loving mother and grandma, and a woman who gave and sacrificed for the sake of her family and her community. Maxine’s parents preceded her in death. Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Keith and Janice Kingsbury of Paden and Steven and Linda Kingsbury of Prague; grandchildren and spouses Bill Cody and Kelli Johnson, Kendall and Amy Kingsbury, Clayton Kingsbury and Trisha Kingsbury; great grandchildren Jaycee Johnson, Lillie Johnson and Eli Johnson; brothers and sisters-in-law Ralph and Helen Mason of Edmond and Ray and Louise Mason of Shawnee and many other family and friends. The Kingsbury family will receive friends on Monday, April 17, 2017 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Parks Brothers Funeral Home in Prague. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 at 2:00 PM, at First Baptist Church in Prague with Bro. Tim Emmons officiating. Interment will follow at Prague.