Agnes Ruth Jantz was born to Fred and Lydia Eck Nightingale on July 29, 1931 on the family farm south of Fairview, Oklahoma and passed away on July 12, 2015 at the Fairview Fellowship Home in Fairview. Death was caused by pulmonary fibrosis. She courageously endured the complications associated with her disease, having been diagnosed in May of 2014.

Mom grew up on the farm in a large family, learning to work hard and be satisfied with little. At the age of twelve, she was converted and baptized into the Church of God In Christ, Mennonite on March 1, 1944 by Minister George Nichols.   She was a faithful Christian all her life, never wavering in her faith in God.

As a young woman, she spent eight years working for the Wayman Cornelsen family. On March 9 ^th , 1958 she was united in marriage to our father Richard Jantz from Burns, Kansas. After a brief stay in Kansas, they returned to Fairview and Dad went to work for Wayman's brother Edsel. They moved onto the Cornelsen Ranch west of Cleo Springs, and spent the next forty years there. Mom loved nature and the out-of-doors, so she loved the quietness and seclusion they had at the ranch.

We three children were born during their early years at the ranch, and we have many fond memories of growing up there. Folks worked hard to make our home a happy home. We always had a garden and Mom loved to can and freeze what it produced. Mom was hospitable and friends and family were often invited for meals and picnics. We spent hours working together in the yard and playing baseball on summer evenings and board games on long winter evenings.

In August of 1998, they moved off the ranch into a rent house east of Fairview. They were privileged to move into their new home in Fairview in April of 2001. Here they enjoyed their flowers and watching the birds, and she faithfully took daily walks inspired by her love of being outdoors.

They moved into the Fairview Fellowship Home in February of this year. Mom was an encouragement to us with her optimistic outlook on life, and we will always appreciate her influence on us as family.

One of the darkest times in Mom's life was when our brother Mark was killed in a tragic auto accident in May 2002, and also when Mark's daughter Betsy was killed in February of 2014, also in a car accident. God was their comfort at those times and carried them through.

Mom is survived by her husband of 57 years, Richard: two daughters, Gayla and husband Rendel Nightingale of Okeene, Oklahoma; Heidi and husband Brendon Schmidt of Texline, Texas; daughter-in-law Millie Jantz of Ringwood, Oklahoma; eight grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one brother, Earnest Nightingale and wife Authrene of Fairview; one sister Geneva Klassen of Hesston, Kansas; two sister-in-laws, Inez Nightingale of Brooksville, Mississippi; Lena Nightingale of Fairview. Dad's family include sisters Neoma and Arnold Koehn of Moundridge, Kansas; Margie Jantz of Newton, Kansas; sister-in-law Fern Jantz of Montezuma, Kansas; special family friend Lena Koehn; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, son Mark, granddaughter Betsy Jantz, three brothers and one sister.