Ruth Irene Godley

Ruth Irene Godley, of Muskogee, OK passed peacefully on Tuesday, February 2, 2021 just 22 days shy of her 98th birthday. She was born on February 24, 1923 in Omaha, Nebraska to Bruce Lant and Alice (Duxbury) Lant. She graduated from Omaha Technical High School in 1940 at the age of 17 and within months was employed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a clerk during the construction of the Alaskan Highway. This took her from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada and to Fairbanks, Alaska. Upon completion of the Al-Can (Alaskan) Highway, at age 22, she stopped in Pasco, Washington and completed a nurse’s aide program. She returned to Omaha before she began her adventure to Europe, where she was employed as a stenographer for the Civilian Civil Service, near the end of WWII. While in Germany, she was chief clerk in the Provost Marshal’s office during the Nuremberg Trials. This position provided an opportunity for her to travel throughout Bavaria, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Scandinavia, Czechoslovakia and France. It was in Germany that she met her husband, Major James Godley, of Savannah, Georgia. They were married in Paris and celebrated 33 years of marriage until James’ death in 1983. The couple had four children while his military career moved them to California, Alaska, and finally, Yokohama, Japan. In 1943, her husband was stationed at Camp Gruber, and they made their home in Muskogee. This was the reason they chose to return to Muskogee after he retired, where they remained the rest of their lives. Ruth worked as the bookkeeper for Motter Bookbinding in Muskogee for a number of years. She had a love of baking, and when her best friend and co-worker decided to start a wedding catering service in Muskogee, she asked Ruth to bake wedding cakes for her business. Ruth taught herself to decorate cakes, while still working full time at the bindery. In 1971, she purchased The Cake Shop and began yet another career. Ruth shared in celebrating generations of birthdays and weddings for the people of Muskogee. The 73-year old building still stands today at the corner of East Side Boulevard and Houston. Upon retiring from the bakery, Ruth enjoyed buying and selling antiques. She had booths in several antique malls around the area. She also loved gardening, which was obvious from the beautiful flowers in her yard. In 1989, she returned to Alaska one last time, on a three-month vacation, traveling by motor home with her sister and brother-in-law across the same highway she helped to construct a lifetime ago. She was often heard saying that she had led a very full and adventurous life, having the opportunity to see and do many things that others could only dream about. She said if she had it to do all over again, she would not change a thing! Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, James and their son, Bruce; her parents, Bruce and Alice (Duxbury) Lant; her sister and brother-in-law, Velma and Ray Young; brothers, Ken and Keith Lant; son-in-law, Steve Wagner; and grandson, Kirk. She is survived by her son, Nathan Godley of Ft. Gibson; daughter, Margaret Wagner of Muskogee; daughter and son-in-law, Roberta and Charles Oeser of Wagoner; grandchildren, Lynne Wallis and husband Ryan of Muskogee, Clayton Lucas and wife Lora of Harrah, Laura Hilton and husband Nick of Muskogee, Jerry Lucas and wife Dwaynna of Catoosa; three step-grandsons, Jason, Jeffrey and Jared Oeser all of Muskogee; 16 great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and many good friends. Ruth’s celebration of life service will be held at 11:30am, Thursday, February 11th, 2021 at Cornerstone Funeral Home in Muskogee, OK with Pastor Steve Morgan officiating.

Ruth Irene Godley

February 24, 1923 - February 2, 2021