CASTORLAND — Ruth B. Woolschlager, 91, formerly of Castorland, died May 13 at Hospice of Arizona at Sun Health Del E. Webb Hospital, Sun City West, Ariz.
She began her teaching career at Bolton Central School in Bolton Landing, where she taught history and business and was director of girls sports. She later taught at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Ill., from 1959 to 1980, receiving a professorship after three years as associate professor at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
During her years at NIU, she received the Distinguished Service Award in Business Education and was named to "Who's Who in American Women." She authored books and wrote many articles for professional journals and was a well-known speaker and resource person throughout the country.
Miss Woolschlager taught several summers at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, and decided to make Flagstaff her retirement home in 1980. She moved to Peoria, Ariz., in 1997.
Born Oct. 30, 1916, in Lowville, daughter of immigrant parents, J. Fred (of Bern, Switzerland) and Louise D. Colas (of Paris, France) Woolschlager, she attended grade school in Castorland and graduated from Lowville Academy in 1934. She received a bachelor of science degree from Albany State Teachers College in 1939.
During World War II, she became the first woman from Bolton Landing or Castorland to enlist in the Women's Army Corps, entering Feb. 13, 1943. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant May 26, 1945, and was the first Wac to teach men's basic training classes at Fort Riley, Kan.
From September 1943 to June 1944, she instructed men in typing, personnel records and Army administration procedures. In July 1944, she was transferred to the Army Ground Forces replacement depot, Fort Meade, Md., where she worked in the personnel section until reporting to Officer Candidate School. She was honorably discharged Oct. 1, 1946.
Following her Army service, she attended graduate school and went on to earn a doctorate in business education in 1952 from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Flagstaff, Ariz.
Surviving are nieces and nephews, and her caregiver, Beverly J. Hackett, Sun City West.
Four sisters, Verena Wheeler, Minnie Henry, Louise Sundquist and Helen Steinhilber, and two brothers, Fredolin "Fritz" and John Woolschlager, died before her.
A graveside service with military honors will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Castorland Union Cemetery with the Rev. Bruce W. Chapman officiating. Arrangements are with Iseneker Funeral Home, Lowville.
