Shelter Island Reporter obituary: Ruth Staehle

Ruth Staehle passed away peacefully on June 7, 2023, at the age of 101 near her family in Tiverton, R.I.

Ruth was born on April 13, 1922, in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Freida Stauder and Albert Grossweiler.

After graduating from Long Island College School of Nursing in 1945, Ruth remained at Long Island College Hospital as a Registered Nurse. On June 1,1947, Ruth married the love of her life, Charles Staehle, and they moved from Brooklyn to Elmont, Long Island. In 1951, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Education from St. John’s University and continued working as a Registered Nurse in various capacities.

Ruth became a nurse supervisor and clinical instructor at a 250-bed hospital in Tehran, Iran where she, Charles, and their 2-year-old daughter, Lisa, spent four supremely satisfying years from 1956 to 1960.

While there, Charles worked under a grant from the Ford Foundation setting up pilot programs in vocational educational institutions. The Staehles had a very memorable time in Iran, meeting many people from all over the world and were able to share their experiences and mementos with others throughout the years.

In the early 1950s, Ruth and Charles took a ride to the East End of Long Island and came upon Shelter Island. They ran into a man selling land along the roadside from his car. The man asked for a $10 deposit (which they had to scrape together), contact information, and an agreement to make monthly payments of $100 for one year to obtain the 1-acre of land they had selected. In 1962, Ruth and Charles designed and built their dream home on the Island, where they spent summers with their two daughters.

In 1966, Ruth completed her Master of Science in Guidance (Secondary Education) from Hofstra University and worked as a Guidance Counselor at Elmont Memorial High School, until her retirement in 1977. Shortly thereafter, Ruth and Charles made their full-time residence on Shelter Island. Ruth became involved on Shelter Island with the Office of Senior Services, training residents on the Island to become certified as Home Health Aides, providing personal and home health care for much of the senior population.

She also worked as an Island on-call nurse for East End Hospice for over a decade — along with Charles, who was a Hospice volunteer — and for many summers as a relief nurse at Camp Quinipet, where she met many new friends along the way. Ruth and Charles spent winters in their condominium in Clearwater, Fla., enjoying time with their friends and visits from their family.

Ruth is predeceased by her husband, Charles Staehle; son, Charles Staehle; and daughter, Lisa Staehle. She leaves behind her daughter, Victoria Revier; her only (and “favorite”, as she always referred to him) son-in-law, Kenneth Revier; grandson, Joshua Revier; and granddaughter, Jenna Revier.

Ruth was a woman of passion in her profession as a nurse, teacher, and in her dedication to helping others. She was an amazing woman who will be greatly missed by all those who had the pleasure of crossing her path. Ruth loved to travel, ballroom dance with Charles, sing, play mah jong, bingo, and had a great love for dogs.

A “Celebration of Life” service will take place at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Newport, R.I. on Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 11 a.m. for all those who would like to attend.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: East End Hospice, PO Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.