Ruth Marie Killpack's Obituary
.Ruth M. Killpack, Ph.D.
Ruth Marie DeVault Killpack, Ph.D., 83, our beloved friend, companion, wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully at her home on May 8, 2018 after a valiant battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
She was born at eight minutes to midnight on December 4, 1934 in the front bedroom of the family home in Sacramento, California to Joseph Ray and Zella Evans DeVault by whom she always felt loved and wanted. Ruth felt because of her early beginnings that the universe is a friendly, loving place, this in turn helped her feel positive and happy nearly all the time.
Ruth was very successful academically and always gave credit to her mother for her yearning for more education. As a student at McClatchy High School, Ruth held leadership positions every year, graduated early, and went on to Brigham Young University where she got a bachelors degree in education. One of her many achievements at BYU was climbing Mt. Timpanogos arriving at the top just in time to see the sunrise. After BYU, Ruth taught elementary school in Sacramento until she decided to apply to be a stewardess for United Airlines. One of the lucky ones to be accepted, she completed training in Cheyenne, Wyoming and was assigned to Chicago’s Midway Airport. Flying out of Midway, she traveled all over the United States and met many interesting people.
One of the interesting people she met was Hal Jacob Killpack, a dental student at Loyola University in Chicago. They were married August 30, 1957 in the Salt Lake Temple. Two years later, they settled in Yuba City, California where they were active in and held leadership positions in the LDS Church and raised their children. Their first child, Susan, sadly lived only two days. But Douglas, Bruce, Scott, Gregg, and Stephanie were all happy, healthy, delightful kids.
While living in Yuba City, they enjoyed the company of Ruth’s parents and her siblings who have all preceded her in passing: Ray, Harold, Dolly, and Helen. They shared a cabin at Mt. Shasta and hours of games and snowmobiling with all the cousins.
In 1979, Hal was diagnosed with brain cancer and passed away nine months later. Ruth held her family together and learned how to sell a dental practice. As she grieved Hal’s passing, her yearning for education returned and, at the age of 45, she rallied her family together and moved to Orem, Utah to enroll herself in BYU. With the help of many good people, two years later, Ruth graduated with a Masters Degree in Family Studies and was accepted for the Marriage and Family Therapy Doctor of Philosophy program which she completed in 1987.
Having long had a desire to help and serve others, she began a private marriage and family therapy practice. She also helped develop the Turning Point program for displaced homemakers at Utah Valley University and taught Assertive Communication Classes for Women throughout Utah County.
While at BYU, she met Dr. Rita Edmonds who became her loving companion for the rest of her life. Together they built Aspen Therapy, a mental health clinic still serving people, where they worked side by side for twenty-five years until Ruth retired in 2015. Through the years, they enjoyed traveling all over the United States, Europe, Asia, and South Africa which she was always grateful that she did earlier in her life before Parkinson’s Disease slowed her pace. Even in that, Ruth was valiant. At age 81, with her daughter Stephanie’s help, Ruth got involved with Rock Steady Boxing at Legends Gym in Lehi. The movement and exertion of the exercise strengthened her and significantly improved the quality of her life for another year and a half.
Ruth’s determination to practice boxing in her eighties is an illustration of who she was and is. To those around her, she exemplified daily the four divine attitudes: loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. She understood the transience of life and lived from abundance of heart. Ruth dedicated her life to helping others heal their life wounds and teaching them that they are loved, they are never alone, there are only lessons to be learned, and there is nothing to be afraid of.
Ruth is survived by her companion of thirty-five years, Rita Edmonds; her sons Bruce William, David Scott (wife Jessica), Gregg Edward (wife Ivonne), and her daughter Stephanie Lynn Miner (husband Kent); her grandchildren: Jennifer, Blake, David, Courtney, Brittany, Jordan, Drew, Leo, Jake, Stephen, Alison, and Samantha. In addition to her parents and siblings, Hal Jacob, Susan Jeanette, and Douglas Hal preceded her in passing.
She wishes to thank her magnificent neighbors who kindly and generously helped with her care, Encompass Hospice RN Rachel, and Visiting Angels caregiver Mickie.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 8 at 9:45 AM at the LDS Chapel at 600 North and 800 East, Orem, Utah.
Interment will be in Eastlawn Memorial Hills Cemetery, 4800 North 650 East, Provo, Utah.
In lieu of flowers please make a donation, to Rock Steady Boxing – Wasatch Front, 80 N. 850 East, Lehi, Utah 84043 to enable others with Parkinson’s to have the same life giving benefits that Ruth enjoyed.
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