Neva Ruth (Coonce) Dunning

November 2, 1921 – August 6, 2021

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Neva Ruth (Coonce) Dunning, 99, of Mesa Arizona passed away on Friday, August 6, 2021 at Banner Baywood Hospital in Mesa, Arizona. Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, Ruth, as everyone knew her, was born on November 2, 1921, in Gatewood, Missouri to Albert and Gertrude (Goodman) Coonce. She was the fourth of five siblings: Martin, Archie, Elsie, and Thomas.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, her granddaughter, Kelly Sue Murphy, and her husband, William Arthur Dunning.

Ruth is survived by her four sons: Thomas, William (Sue), Stanley, and Jerry. Her Grandchildren: Lisa (Mark) Smith, Blaine Dunning, Stacie Dunning, Kelly’s husband, Tony Murphy, Angela (Homer) Rodriguez, Cody (Athena) Dunning, Melissa (Stephen) Opie, and Jessica (Daniele) Dunning. Her Step-Grandchildren: Amy (Tim) Shafer, Jennifer Stanton, and Tom (Shannun) Hurst. Her Great-Grandchildren: Alexandria Miranda, Matthew Smith, Gabriela Smith, Benjamin Mastalsz, Lindsay (Nate) Easton, Novalee Dunning, Brenden Murphy, Kayla Murphy, Emily Rodriguez, Lexi Rodriguez, Zoe Rodriguez, Autumn Dunning, Olivia Dunning, Cash Opie, Dylan Opie, and Analysa Dunning. Her Step-Great-Grandchildren: Orion Van Eseltine, Paige Shafer, and Victoria Hays. Her Great-Great-Grandchildren: Payton Miranda, Cooper Miranda, Eden Easton, Sawyer Easton, and Annie Easton.

Ruth grew up out in the country on her parents’ farm at Gatewood, Missouri (a country store with a Post Office in it). She has a painting on the wall in her living room of the Gatewood store/Post Office. Due to the Depression, the family lost the farm to taxes and moved to the Corning, Arkansas area, where they all worked as farm laborers. This is where Ruth met the love of her life as Arthur’s family also lived and worked in the Big T area, as farm laborers.

Arthur asked Ruth to marry him before he deployed to the South Pacific in World War II. Ruth declined his proposal. However, they both knew that if Arthur made it back from the war, they would marry. He did, and they did.

Ruth worked in a factory while Arthur was away and when he returned, they married on July 4, 1945, in Corning, Arkansas. They began their life together in St. Louis, where their eldest son Tom was born. They were drawn back home to Doniphan, Missouri though and that is where Bill, Stan, and Jerry were born.

They bought a 20-acre parcel of land with a house, fields and woods, east of Doniphan. Life was good there. They enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming in the creek and many more outdoor adventures. Arthur had lingering issues from having malaria and dengue fever during the war in the Philippines. The doctors advised him to move to a warm, dry climate. So, in 1959, they sold their property in Missouri, bought a trailer, and off they went to Scottsdale, Arizona. They were able to park their trailer at the home of Arthur’s second cousin, Gertie and her husband Luther.

Arthur eventually got a job at Scottsdale Schools, while Ruth worked several jobs, including a drugstore soda counter in Old Town Scottsdale and in the cafeteria at Judson School. They decided they liked Arizona and wanted to stay, so in 1964 they bought a lot in East Mesa. They moved their trailer to this lot and resided until they finished building their forever home.

Ruth became a full-time homemaker and caregiver to her children. She had her hands full with four teenage boys, but they were her whole world. Time passed, as it will, and the boys moved out and began to have families of their own. Along came the grandchildren. Each new generation felt the love and warmth that radiated from Ruth and Arthur.

After Arthur’s retirement, they bought a summer cabin in Pine, Arizona. The children and grandchildren loved coming up in the summertime to fish and swim in the East Verde, enjoy the cooler weather and be doted on by their grandparents. There are many fun memories from the cabin that we will always cherish.

As they moved into their 80s, it became too difficult to travel back and forth every year, so they decided to live year-round again in Mesa, in the home they built. They were able to stay in their home with the help of their grandson Blaine in their later years. They were able to celebrate 71 years of marriage before Arthur passed in May 2017.

Ruth will be remembered as the woman who loved her family unconditionally, with such caring and joy. Everyone who met her loved her and wished they could have a mother or grandmother like her. From baking cookies, to bedtime stories, to playing games and always trying to feed you, she always had time for her children and grandchildren. In her final years as time took its toll, she enjoyed playing solitaire and watching Western movies and most especially loved when visitors came.

Ruth will be missed tremendously by us all. She is now reunited with her parents, siblings, granddaughter Kelly and, most importantly, Arthur.

The family would like to thank all the wonderful people who kept us in your prayers and continue to support us through this difficult time.

A graveside memorial service will be held at Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Mesa, on Thursday, August 19^th at 9:00am. Family and friends are welcome to gather at the Dunning home for refreshments after the service.