Ruth A. Podgwaite

Ruth A. Podgwaite, 98, a longtime resident of Cheshire, passed away on April 1, 2025. She was born on March 16, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan, to the late Frank and Augusta Sturmatt Podgwaite. 

She was predeceased by siblings, Carl Podgwaite, Edna Owen, and Frank Podgwaite. In 1949 Ruth received a BA from the University of Connecticut. In subsequent years she undertook graduate studies at UConn, Southern Connecticut State University, Yale, and University of Surrey in England. Her English teaching career in high schools and universities covered fifty years in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. In the U.S., Ruth taught in East Hartford and Cheshire High Schools as well as Southern Connecticut. In Asia she served as a missionary college English teacher under the auspices of the Lutheran Church in America. Ruth served the Cheshire community in a number of ways. She served on several appointed boards in the 1960’s, including Cheshire’s first charter commission. In retirement, she served eight years as an elected member of the Board of Education. Ruth received the Civic Pride Award of the Democratic Women’s Club and the Cheshire Grange Citizen of the Year Award. 

Ruth is survived by her sister, Elizabeth “Beth” Schwenk, and a number of loving nieces and nephews as well as thousands of former students. 

A funeral service will be held on April 12, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 600 Shepard Ave., Hamden CT 06514. A graveside service for the family will be held at Hillside Cemetery in Cheshire at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Cheshire Community Food Pantry, 175 Sandbank Rd., Cheshire, CT 06410.