June 26, 2008  

CASTORLAND, N.Y.  —  Ruth B. Woolschlager, 91, formerly of Castorland, died May 13 at Hospice of Arizona at Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital in Sun City West, Ariz.

A graveside service with military honors will be held 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Castorland Union Cemetery with Rev. Bruce W. Chapman officiating.  

Arrangements are with Iseneker Funeral Home, Inc., Lowville. 

Born Oct. 30, 1916, in Lowville, a daughter of immigrant parents, J. Fred (of Bern, Switzerland) and Louise D. Colas (of Paris, France) Woolschlager, she attended grade school in Castorland while living on the family farm on the East Road and graduated from Lowville Academy, class of 1934. She received her bachelor of science degree from NYS College for Teachers at Albany, NY in 1939. 

She began her teaching career at Bolton Central School in Bolton Landing.  There she taught History C and business subjects, and was also the director of girls sports. 

She was the first woman from Bolton Landing and Castorland to enlist in the Women’s Army Corp, entering on Sept. 1, 1943, commissioned as second Lieutenant on May 26, 1945.  She was the first WAC to serve as teacher for men’s basic training classes at Fort Riley, KS and was honorably discharged on Oct. 1, 1946. 

The financial help of the G.I. Bill enabled Miss Woolschlager to attend graduate school, and then went on to earn her doctorate degree in Business Education in 1952 from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. 

While teaching at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill., form 1959 to1980, she received her professorship, after 3 years as associate professor at the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks. 

During her years at NIU, she received the Distinguished Service Award in Business Education.  She is named in “Who’s Who in American Women” and has authored books, as well as written many articles for the professional journals.  As told by many of her former students, she was a most dedicated and inspiring educator and mentor, also being in demand as a speaker and resource – person throughout the United States. 

Miss Woolschlager taught several summers at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, and decided to make it her retirement home in 1980, where she resided until 1997, before moving to Peoria, Ariz. 

She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Flagstaff. 

Dr. Woolschlager is survived by several nieces, nephews, and a dear friend, Beverly J. Hackett of Sun City West, Ariz.  

Four sisters, Verena Wheeler, Minnie Henry, Louise Sundquist, Helen Steinhilber and two brothers, Fredolin "Fritz" and John, all died before her.  

Information provided by Iseneker Funeral Home, Inc. of Lowville and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.