Dr. Richard Lee Ruth

Dr. Richard Lee Ruth, 95, passed away on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

A Rosary Service will take place at 10:00 am, Wednesday, August 26, followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:30 am at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 124 N. Roosevelt. 

Born at Saint Francis Hospital. He was raised in the Sunflower neighborhood of Wichita's West side, Richard attended North High where he was the student body President and in the National Honor Society while excelling in football and swimming. Richard lifeguarded during the summers at the municipal swimming pool in Riverside. He worked loading wheat into boxcars during the summer to build the muscle needed to compete for a football scholarship to the University of Wichita, which he accomplished. Richard played football as a guard (#22) for the 1949 "Wheat Shockers" Football team at the University of Wichita, as a freshman alongside freshman teammate Dick Sanders. Richard registered with the Selective Service in January of 1949 and enlisted as a basic airman in March 1951. He finished his service in Germany as a senior crypto operator in December of 1954. With the help of a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, he completed his undergraduate studies at The University of Wichita, graduating Cum Laude in 1958. While working for Boeing in 1960, Richard was set up on a blind date and 3 months later was married to the love of his life, Mary T. Smith. With her encouragement and support throughout they travelled to the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he earned his doctorate in Economics. In 1968, he accepted the position of Chairman of the Economics Department at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1974, he accepted the position of Full professorship and Department chairman at Northeastern Illinois University. Making the decision to leave the academic world, he became a corporate economist at McGraw-Hill in New York City. After five years in that position, he started his own highly successful consulting practice working as a forensic economist and expert witness for personal injury and wrongful death cases.

Raised as a Methodist, he converted to Catholicism and lived life as a Third Order Franciscan for 72 years. 

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Ray Ruth and Elsie (Spencer) Ruth Rogers and brother, Bob Ruth. He is survived by sister Mary Jean Rogers, Richard Ruth (Tanyanan), Rachael "Terri" Holz, and Daniel Ruth (Wendy); grandchildren, Will, Andy, Amy, Katie, Amberlyn Hope, and Krystal Grace; and one great-grandchild, William.

Share condolences at www.cozine.com. Services by Cozine Memorial Group-Broadway Mortuary. 

Please donate to the-oasis.org, Parrot Sanctuary, in lieu of flowers.