RUTH CUSHMAN SCHUTTE
Ruth Cushman Schutte, 94, passed away on December 26, 2011 at The Forum of Overland Park. She was born Ruth Bernice Cushman on July 11, 1917 in Kansas City, Kansas. Ruth was a graduate of Wyandotte High School, Kansas City Kansas Community College and St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing. Following nursing school, Ruth began a long and varied career as a registered nurse. In the 1940s and 1950s, she worked as an industrial nurse at North American Aviation and Sunshine Biscuit, both in the Fairfax district. Subsequently, Ruth was school nurse in the Rosedale/Central Junior High school systems. Also in the 1950s, she was at private duty nurse. In this capacity, she was blessed and honored to be a private duty nurse for President Harry Truman. Ruth returned to industrial nursing in the 1960s with Colgate Palmolive and the J.F. Pritchard Company. Later in this period, she was the Assistant Director of Nursing at the Homesdale Convalescent Center. In the early 1970s, Ruth was instrumental in founding the Social Services Department at St. Joseph Hospital and coordinated the hospital’s home health services. During this same time period, Ruth took night classes at Avila College where she eventually graduated in 1975, at age 57, with a B.S. Degree in social work. Later in the 1970s, she was nurse coordinator of a medical-surgical unit at Bethany Hospital. During the 1980s, Ruth was a psychiatric nurse on the Vietnam Unit at the V.A. Hospital in Topeka. As such, she became a pioneer in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Ruth was a long-time member of the Village Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Royal Neh Social Club. She was predeceased by her parents, Montie Carey Cushman and Nellie Agan Cushman, and her husband, W. Charles Schutte. Ruth is survived by her son, William Montie Schutte, and his wife, Lynne, and two grandchildren: William Zachary Schutte and Mitchell Charles Schutte. Ruth was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, and grandmother. A memorial service will be held at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road, at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon, January 6, 2011. The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that contributions be made to the Village Presbyterian Endowment Trust.
Arr: Signature Funerals 8019 State Line Rd. KCMO 64114 www.cathyb6.sg-host.com