Patricia Ruth Yarbrough

Patricia Ruth (Ward) Yarbrough passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

Patsy Ruth (as she was known in her youth) was born on May 7, 1929, in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, to Chester Keo Ward and Aline May (Tucker) Ward. She spent most of her childhood there with the exception of a brief, but formative time during WWII, when her family relocated to San Francisco while her father supported the war effort in the shipyards.

On February 4, 1947, Patsy married Dan Waggoner Yarbrough Jr., and their first homes were established in Pawhuska and Stillwater, where Dan attended Oklahoma A&M University. (Now OSU) In 1960, they settled in Bartlesville, where they raised their four children and become active member of the community. In addition to being a homemaker, Pat served as the bookkeeper for Dan’s various business interests, while also prioritizing philanthropy, civic service, and continuing education for herself and others.

Among her many activities and contributions, Pat was an active member of St. John’s Catholic Church for over 60 years, serving on numerous committees and volunteering her time to both the Parish and the school. She was a founding member of the Bartlesville Chapter of Birthright, supporting pregnant women in crisis – volunteering her time and providing financial assistance when and where it was needed.

Pat supported the youth in the community as an instructor for the Great Books Foundation, as a Marion Award instructor, and as a troop leader for both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Her membership in the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Service Foundation provided numerous other opportunities to serve others in meaningful ways.

As a Sac and Fox Citizen, with Potawatomi heritage, Pat celebrated her culture in various pan-indigenous organizations. She was an active member oif the Bartlesville Indians Women’s Club and served on the Hospitality Committee of the Oklahoma Indian Summer Festival for many years. She enjoyed getting to know the visiting Native artisans from tribes all over the country, and she would often make it a point to purchase work from artists who needed the sales the most. In 2015, she was honored as Indian Summer Elder of the Year.

Pat was a lifelong learner, often joining clubs (like the Investment Group at Hillcrest Country Club) or taking extension courses at local community college to further her knowledge in everything from computer science to gardening to health and wellness. Though she never matriculated, Pat frequently audited classes at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, studying French, History, Literature, Economics, and Psychology. When she wasn’t voraciously reading and learning about people and places, she was traveling the country and world – participating in cultural exchanges and hosting international visitors in her home.

Pat will be lovingly remembered for her lifelong pursuit of spiritual knowledge, her curiosity and respect for others, and her unending compassion, especially for those who struggled with addiction and other mental illnesses. She believed that those who are blessed with good health and good fortune should assist those who are not: she lived her faith and set an example for us all.

She was preceded in death by her parents: Chester Leo Ward and Aline Ward Shults; her brother: Clarence (Sonny) Ward; her husband of 61 years, Dan Waggoner Yarbrough, Jr.; and her son: Dan Waggoner Yarbrough III.

Patricia is survived by her children: Basil R. Yarbrough (Nancy) of Durango, CO, Bradford G. Yarbrough of Tulsa, OK; and Katherine Yarbrough Carter of Bartlesville, OK. She also leaves behind a lasting legacy through her eight grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. In addition, she is survived by a niece, Sharis Myers of Hendersonville, NC, many great-nieces and great-nephews, and an abundance of friends and loved ones throughout the country whom she considered family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations (of your times, goods, or money) may be made to whichever is closest to your heart: Mary Martha Outreach, 1845 W. 4th St, Bartlesville, OK 74003: Grand Mental Health, grandmh.com: or the Washington County SPCA, wcspca.com. Alternatively, if you wish to remember Pat, she’s be touched if you would extend kindness and grace to someone in need.