Mary Gail Ruark
Province VII – Diocese of Oklahoma
Mary Gail Ruark has been the backbone of the Diocese of Oklahoma’s Women, as an ECW Diocesan Board Member, and as a member of Diocesan Committees.
Her 50+ years of service to the Diocese is remarkable. Her path began when her mother and mother-in-law volunteered her as regional ECW chair.
Mary Gail worked with talented, busy women giving of their time, talent, and money to promote education, new ideas, existing programs and support women’s inclusion in all areas of the Church, while providing for spiritual enrichment.
Nurtured by new friends who taught her the oral history of the Diocese and ECW, Mary Gail is ever grateful to them for their support. She has served ECW as Regional Chair, Christian Ed Chair, VP for Regional Meetings, Diocesan President, has been a Provincial delegate and officer, was Province 7 Representative on the National Board and member-at-large; involved in her diocese on many levels, she received the Bishop’s award.
Mary Gail deserves this award especially for starting the endowment for the Oklahoma ECW, which today has over $250,000 to award women grants and scholarships!
