Ruth C. Roettgers

Ruth Catherine Roettgers died unexpectedly at her home in Pearl River on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.  She was 88.

Mrs. Roettgers was born on June 12, 1930 at Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, NY to Johann and Gesine Heins Wiesehan.  She was educated in Bremerhaven, Germany and completed her abitur in 1948.  She returned to America in 1953 and continued her studies at Brooklyn College and Rockland Community College.  Mrs. Roettgers spent her working life as a medical technologist serving the final 10 years of her career at Nyack Hospital, retiring in 1998.  She was a longtime resident of Rockland County first living in Spring Valley and later settling in Pearl River, where she lived for 62 years.

Ruth will be remembered for her indomitable spirit, relentless optimism, kindness, and unconditional love of others.  As some people collect stamps or antiques, she collected people, learning all about them and cherishing each individual for their uniqueness.  Although she was not a member of any organizations or houses of worship, Ruth was active with family, friends, and neighbors.  She paid keen attention to the stories of and important events in the lives of those about whom she cared.  Those who knew her received cards for their birthdays, anniversaries, and various holidays.  Hallmark cards is mourning her passing as well.

Ruth fancied herself a very ordinary individual but nothing could be further from the truth.  She was an adventurous soul, taking spontaneous road trips, eating various ethnic cuisines, and traveling across the Atlantic many times even in her later years.  She loved spending time outdoors, particularly cultivating plants and moving rocks to line nature paths in her yard.  She was known for propagating native trees and shrubs as well as resurrecting dead houseplants.  She loved to bake, knit, crochet, and dance in her kitchen.  She also enjoyed solving Sudoku puzzles, playing Tetris, and figuring out Facebook and how to text her grandchildren on the iPhone she didn’t want.  

Ruth was predeceased by her husband of 63 years, Wolbert Roettgers, in May of 2016.  She is survived by two daughters, Sandra Davies of Morrisville, PA and Audrey Roettgers of Delmar, NY; a brother, Rudy Wiesehan, of North Oxford, MA and a sister, Rosemarie (Dieter) Finger, of Bremervoerde, Germany; eight grandchildren, Corrinne Davies of Morrisville, PA, Ian Davies (Brianna Harner) of Tamaqua, PA, Caitlin Davies (Travis Baldwin) of Cary, NC, Gwyneth (Nate) Navitsky of Tamaqua, PA, Johann and Katerina Midtskogen of Delmar, NY, and Griffin and Abigail Wood of Delmar, NY; three great-granddaughters, Sierra George, Ally Navitsky, and Charlotte Davies; and countless “surrogate children” and dear friends.

A memorial service and visiting hours are scheduled from 2 - 4pm on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at the Wyman-Fisher Funeral Home at 100 Franklin Avenue in Pearl River.  As Ruth loved flowers, no one is discouraged from sending them, but she was a charitable soul and supporter of United Hospice of Rockland who cared for her husband in his final weeks.  Donations may be made in their memories to United Hospice of Rockland at 11 Stokum Lane, New City, NY or hospiceofrockland.org.

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