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By Susan E. Gesford

The Montrose Business & Professional Women’s club will honor a member of the community, Ruth Wilmarth, as its 2008 Woman of the Year. A Susquehanna County native, Ruth Wickizer Wilmarth always strives to bring forth the best of any effort or organization she is part of. In the early 1970s, Title II legislation created services for the aging population. In the Northern Tier area, this was overseen by the Northern Tier Regional Planning Commission and the PA Public Welfare system. When Susquehanna County decided to take up the program, Ruth had just finished filling in for a county employee on sick leave. She accepted the job offer of Executive Director of the Aging Services. She was responsible for planning and executing the formation of Senior Citizen centers across the county, which offered Social services, along with a noon meal, available five days a week, an entity now taken for granted as part of county life. Older workers were employed as well as many volunteers. Ruth recall the first year budget was slightly over $70,000. When she tendered her resignation approximately four years later, it was $250,000.
Ruth moved on from Aging Services to accept an executive director’s position with the American Cancer Society, working first in the Susquehanna County office in Montrose, and then in Lackawanna County. Her work was divided between Professional Education, Public Education and fundraising. She organized seminars, both for the public and medical professionals, many workshops and countless cancer screenings. Supervising 4500 volunteers in Lackawanna County honed her fundraising skills. During her time in Lackawanna County more than $400,000 was raised for the ACS.
But Ruth had always wanted to own a business. The perfect scenario arose in 1981. She and husband, Ray M. Wilmarth, Jr. had just watched their youngest son leave for college, when a retail grocery store in Harford became available. Ruth said, “ The first four months were intimidating - I had never even used a cash register.
“But it was a challenge worth pursuing. I loved the orderliness of the grocery business, and I loved the town of Harford and its people,” she continued.
Of the three - working in government, for a non-profit organization, or for oneself, Ruth said being self-employed was the most satisfying. “I spent 10 years working at the store in Harford - 10 of the most rewarding years of my life,” she stated.
Ruth began devoting more time to volunteer organizations when Ray retired from the banking business and they decided to sell the business. In 1990, she had become involved with an effort to form a local League of Women Voters. It required 10 people to make this happen. Throughout the years she served in every capacity the League had to offer, including 14 years on the Board of Directors - six years as president. She also served at the state level as vice president, and attended National meetings in Washington, D.C.
Today, the Susquehanna County League of Women Voters remains strong, bringing timely speakers to the area to address election issues.
Ruth loves to garden and was accepted into the Penn State Master Garden program in 1991. “It was a great experience,” Ruth says. “Classes were held in the Poconos, for 40 people from eight counties. I was certified in 1992 and have spent the following years learning and helping others with gardening problems.” Ruth spent a five year term on the Susq. County Cooperative Extension Board, serving one year as president, and was honored in 1999 as Volunteer of the Year.
In 2004, Ruth was honored by the Scranton Times Tribune as a Northeast Woman of the Week.
Ruth and Ray’s dedication to the Rotary Club of Montrose is outweighed only by their commitment to the Endless Mountains Health Systems. Ruth is currently vice-chair of Endless Mountain Medical Care Foundation, which raises funds to purchase equipment needed at the facility. And she supports wholeheartedly the current effort of raising funds to bring a new EMHS hospital facility to the county.
Ruth’s many efforts on behalf of Rotary, the Susquehanna County Coalition for the prevention of Child Abuse, Safe Kids, the Nurse-Family Partnership Program, county Historical Societies, the Harford Fair, the Montrose Minutemen, and the Susquehanna County Library proves one thing - you can county on Ruth. Her graciously determined way of attaining goals makes her an asset to any group.
Ruth and Ray are the parents of Jeanne Corey, Olyphant, Pa., David Taylor, Jensen Beach, Florida, Alan Wilmarth, Hallstead, Steven Taylor, Garland, Texas, Eric Wilmarth, Jasper, Ga. and Christopher Taylor, also of Garland, Texas. Ruth is a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Hop Bottom. She is the daughter of the late John Howard and Kathryn (Saar) Wickizer of Brooklyn.
Ruth will be honored by the Montrose BPW at a dinner on October 2, at Dreyer Lodge Tea Room, Montrose Bible Conference, Montrose. The public is invited to help honor one of Susquehanna County’s gems. For information or reservations, contact Mary Evans at (570) 278-4600, ext. 113, Barbara Rydzewski at 278-1411, or Jeanne Falk at 278-3005.