Oneita Ruth Tuttle was born October 29, 1923, on a farm north of Quinter, Kansas. Her parents were Ralph M. and Ada Ruth (Sprenkel) Tuttle. Oneita passed away Sunday, March 18, 2018, in the Gove County Medical Center in Quinter at the age of 94. She was a lifetime resident of Quinter.

She was baptized into the Church of the Brethren in 1937. She loved her church and worked in many different areas of it. She was on the church board, took care of the church’s plants for 30 years, helped with the annual comfort tying day, and enjoyed the many women’s fellowship activities. One of her proudest accomplishments was her help with the “Our Heritage” Church of the Brethren history book published in 1986. It was in conjunction with the Church of the Brethren’s 100th Centennial, she was one of eight writers.

She attended Quinter Grade School and graduated from Quinter High School in 1942. For a short while, she attended a secretarial school in Topeka. After arriving back in Quinter, she went to work for the First National Bank on Main.

On July 25, 1946, she married Lorne G. Press in the parsonage of the Quinter Church of the Brethren. She was a homemaker. Lorne and Oneita loved attending air shows, country music concerts, traveling to Port Aransas, Texas, and camping in general. When their family was young, it was off to Cedar Bluff Lake with family and friends for boating and fun. She loved each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, proudly telling friends ‘how many she had now’!

Oneita was a Charter Member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Gyne Fealti Club, and Stitch and Chatter Club; she attended them for 65 years. She also enjoyed being a member of the GCMC Auxiliary. She was very proud of being a Republican Committee Woman and served on the election board for 30+ years. In 1970, Oneita served as a board member for the low rent housing project. In her ‘golden years’ she attended the Birthday Bunch on Friday nights.

Oneita was known as the “Quinter Historian” and many times was called to see ‘whom was related to whom’. She loved family history, too: Tuttle, Sprenkel, Press, and Fischer!
Hobbies included: ceramics, oil painting with friends, candle making, crocheting, sewing, raising a big garden and canning, growing peonies, irises, and all kinds of trees. As she aged, her world revolved around sitting in her recliner, embroidering, and looking out her front window watching birds and traffic on Road Z. Her many tea towels are displayed in all her family and friend’s homes.

She is survived by her three children: Doug (Marcia) Press, Quinter, Marsha (Gary) Lang, Westminster, CO, and Kendra (Roy) Delzeit, Hays; nine grandchildren, Callie (Jeff) Brawner, Megan (Spencer) Herrman, Garret (Lauren) Press, Jordan (Michelle) Lang, Jarrod (Brenda) Lang, Robbie (Angela) Delzeit, Sheila Delzeit, Nikki (Cole) Cherryholmes, and Braydon Delzeit; 17 great-grandchildren, Bailey, Brooke & BrieAnn Brawner, Jaide, Scarlett Ruth & Adaline Herrman, Ryleigh & Delaney Hargitt, Brigham & Nelly Press, Landon & Sydney Lang, Brooklyn & Camden Lang, Braxton & Everly Delzeit, and Walker Cherryholmes; a sister-in-law Roma Tuttle; cousins; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lorne, and brothers, Elvin, Charles, Glen, and Delbert Tuttle.

She was a devoted Christian and prayed daily for her family. She was a pillar of strength and lived a long courageous life, always showing her children and grandchildren how to keep going! If you ever met her on the street you’d remember hearing her ‘low’ voice say, “Well Kid!”; or, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”; or, “I wouldn’t change a thing in my life. I’ve been happy with life and my family!”…We’ll miss you Mom!

Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 23, 2018, at Church of the Brethren, Quinter. Burial will be in the Baker Township Cemetery following the service.
Visitation will be Thursday evening, from 5 to 7:00 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home, Quinter.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Quinter Church of the Brethren and Quinter Volunteer Ambulance Service. Donations to the memorials may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.