Ruth Ann Schommer

Ruth Ann Schommer

Age 85, passed away on May 15, 2019, at home in Palmer, Alaska.

Ruth was born on April 29, 1934, to Arthur Muir and Jessamine Florence Wallace (neé Rankin) in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

Shortly after high school, Ruth joined the Air Force where she became a radio technician and served her country for three years. While serving, Ruth joined a flying club and was quickly hooked.

She received her private pilot’s license in October 1955 and spent the next 40 years as a pioneer for women pilots.

Ruth was a resourceful, capable, independent, and adventurous woman.

In 1957, Ruth loaded her truck and moved to Alaska driving the Alcan all on her own.

Once in Alaska, she started her career as a pilot, flying thousands of hours for charter service and providing pilot instruction.

In 1971, Ruth left private industry and continued her aviation career in the government sector with the Department of Interior and the Federal Aviation Administration.

As a pilot examiner, Ruth gave floatplane certification check rides to astronauts Walt Cunningham of Apollo 7 and Bill Anders of Apollo 8, and singer/songwriter John Denver.

Ruth retired in 1994 with over 25 years of federal service, but not before receiving almost every fixed-wing rating possible.

Ruth’s adventures include traveling to Europe, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. More recently, Ruth lived a quiet life in Palmer, Alaska, where she enjoyed reading, sewing projects, and spoiling her cat, Scooby.

And she enjoyed family time with her sister Laura Gogola and nieces Denise and Ann; step-son John (Jack) Schommer and wife Nancy; step-daughter Jeanne Story and husband Mark; and numerous step-grands and greats.

Ruth is predeceased by her late husband John of 39 years.