Shoulders, Ruth Shaffer

Ruth Shaffer Shoulders, of Blacksburg, Va., died March 23, 2010. She was born in Blue Creek, W.Va., August 5, 1919, daughter of the late Isaiah and Eva Daugherty Shafer. She was preceded in death by John Francis Shoulders, her husband of 67 years in December 2009 and her daughter, Mary Lea Hartman in 2002. Also preceding her in death were her three siblings, Dorothy (Mrs. John Vineyard), of Melbourne, Fla., her brother, William Harry Shafer, of Linside, W.Va., and brother, Harvey Shaffer, of State College, Pa. Surviving are Mary Lea’s husband, Walker Hartman, of Roanoke, Va., and his children, Sarah Hartman, of Charleston, S.C., Mark Hartman, of Santa Clara, Calif., and Lori McCooke, of Ireland; son and daughter-in-law, John Jr. and Catherine Shoulders, of Roanoke, Va., and their children, Cristen Mugford, of Durham, N.C., David Shoulders, of Richmond, Va., and Matthew Shoulders, of Roanoke, Va.; daughter, Susan Shoulders, of Blacksburg, Va.; son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Alberta Shoulders and their children, Kara, Keith, James and Luke Shoulders, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; in-laws, Hazel Shafer, of Linside, W.Va., Jean Shafer, of State College, Pa., and Richard Shoulders, of Ashtabula, Ohio. She received her early education in the public schools of Roane County, W.Va. She attended Marshall University and West Virginia University to prepare for a teaching career and received her BS degree from Radford University, where she was a member of the Honor Society. She was a teacher in both primary and secondary schools in West Virginia, starting in a one room school in 1938. She later taught at the Presbyterian Day School in Blacksburg and then as a first grade teacher at Gilbert Linkous School in Blacksburg, Va. for 12 years where she was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Society. Ruth was a devoted member of the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church, where she served in different positions such as teacher, Circle chairman and committee member. She was instrumental in organizing the Congregational Care Committee, and introduced the Pastoral Care Committee to her Church. She was honored by the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church Women with a lifetime membership. She and her husband were interested in the welfare of the international students and Va Tech and hosted many of them and their families in their home. Along with her husband, she was actively involved in the International Turfgrass Society and helped plan and conduct various women’s events associated with the Turfgrass Conferences. Memorial services will be conducted by the Rev. Susan Verbrugge on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church at 10 a.m. There will be a reception for friends and visitors following the funeral service at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. Graveside Service will be conducted Saturday at 9 a.m. in Westview Cemetery, Blacksburg. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Education Endowment Fund of the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends Friday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive, SW, Blacksburg.