Ruth LaVonne Chapman Ater - Submitted for the USGenWeb by Richard P. Sevier 1/17/07

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Ruth LaVonne Chapman Ater - Madison Parish, Louisiana 

From Klamath Falls (OR) Herald and News, December 19, 2004

Ruth LaVonne Ater

Ruth LaVonne Chapman Ater, 83, Ferriday, La., a former Klamath Falls resident, died Oct. 28, 2004.

Funeral services were held Friday, Dec 10.

Mrs. Ater was born Dec. 16, 1920, in Cisco, Ill., to Francis Marion and Audra (Weddle) Chapman Jr.

She graduated as salutatorian of her class from Mt. Zion High School in Mt. Zion, Ill., and attended 
Lindenwood College for Women in St. Charles, Mo.

After her marriage on July 27, 1938, to Donald Edward Alter, they farmed in the Cisco area and 
owned International Harvester dealerships in Kankakee, Ill., and Oreana, Ill.

They moved in 1957 when they purchased Coola Coosa Plantation on Lake St. John in Louisiana. 
She was actively involved with her husband in the purchase, improvement, and operation of farm lands 
over seven states. They also were the founders and operators of Ater Warehouse Inc. and owners of 
Don Ater Chevrolet in Ferriday.

Mrs. Ater was an active church and civic leader in every community where they resided. It was in 
Tallulah, La., that she first became actively involved in the American National Cattlewomen's Organization, 
serving as Madison Parish president and state of Louisiana president.

In 1975, she served as National Cattlewomen's president and, during her presidency, organized and 
chartered 13 new states and spoke at state conventions in 39 states. She also chaired the committee to 
write the history of the American National Cattlewomen's organization, which formerly was called CowBelles.

She was given the honor of burning the mortgage on the National Cattlewomen's office after spearheading 
a fund-raising effort to remove the debt.

While in Klamath Falls, Mrs. Ater was an active member of Soroptomist International, a member of 
Daughters of the American Revolution and the Methodist Church, was a Klamath Falls Symphony patron, 
and served on the Klamath Arts Committee, which raised $6 million for the restoration of the Ross Ragland Theatre.

She was one of only three women inducted into the Louisiana Spur Club (for outstanding contribution to 
the cattle industry), was named Outstanding Cattlewoman of the Year by Sioux City Stockyards and was 
appointed to the National Livestock & Meat Board in Chicago.

Survivors include her children Kay Ater Goeggle, Donald Willard Ater and his wife Fran, Lynette Ater 
Tanner and her husband George "Buddy," Edward William Ater and his wife Mignonne, and Alan Ray Ater 
and his wife Susie; grandchildren John Goeggle, Jeff Goeggle and wife Sandra, Sharon Ater Edgin and her 
husband Corbett, Audra Ater Magee and her husband Mickey, Natalie Ater Pearson, John Elliott Branton, 
Donald Wayne Branton and his wife Jenny, Lauren LaVonne Tanner, Shannon Ater Landry and her husband Rich, 
Daniel Edward Ater, Kristen Lynn Ater, Whitney Lauren Ater, Thomas Alan Ater, and Andrew Elliott Ater; 
19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; stepchildren Jack Wedam and Albert Wedam and his 
wife Monica, Toni Arritola, and Jerri Wedam; 14 step-grandchldren; brother-in-law Robert Lieb; nephews 
Terry Lieb and his wife Tanya and Mark Chapman; and nieces Janet Lieb White and her husband Cliff and 
Jane Chapman Howe.

She was preceded in death by her husbands Donald Edward Ater and Fred J. Wedam; a brother, Francis Marion 
Chapman III; and a sister, Marilyn Chapman Lieb.

Memorial donations may be made to the Sevier Memorial United Methodist Church, 1830 N.E. Wallace Blvd., 
Ferriday, LA, 71334, for the LaVonne Ater Scholarship Fund.