Ruth Crawford Shuler

Ruth Crawford Shuler of Jackson County entered the gates of heaven the morning of December 24, 2025. Ruth was born August 3, 1938, to Glenn and Hazel Crawford, in the Willets Community, near Balsam.

Ruth was a bit of scamp as a young child; at Christmas one year Santa brought her a waterwheel, and she promptly took to the creek, waded in and began playing with it in the water. One summer both of her grandmothers were on the front porch and she turned the water hose on them both, drenching them. One grandmother was quite amused, the other – not so much!Another time she and her sister, Jean, whipped up some Ivory Snow detergent to look like whipped cream and fed it to both the old ladies, again one laughed and the other did not.

Soon afterwards Ruth’s family moved to Caldwell Street in Sylva where she attended Sylva Elementary School. At the age of 12 her parents bought a piano and she began playing gospel music and singing with her sister. Reverend James Rogers heard their music and helped them to expand their repertoire. He sang tenor with them and together with another young man who sang bass, the four formed a gospel music quartet which sang in various churches throughout western North Carolina.

During her time at Sylva High School, Ruth was very active; she played saxophone in the band and was a member of the Future Homemakers of America, reflecting her love of sewing, but she shone in the business classes. At the age of 16 she began driving a school bus for her father who was the supervisor for school bus maintenance. During her senior year she was voted Most Likely to Succeed and graduated in 1956 as valedictorian of her class. The principal at the time, Bill Smith, swore to her father that she was the smartest person he had ever known.

At the tender age of 17 Ruth married Roy Shuler on July 8, 1956 and moved with him to Charlotte where she worked while he attended business college. They attended Northside Baptist Church where they made many friends, and she began singing gospel music in a women’s trio while Roy sang in a men’squartet. Ruth played piano for both groups.

During their seven and a half years in Charlotte, Ruth and Roy had two daughters, Kim and Risa. They decided to move back to their hometown of Sylva in 1963, where their son, David, was born in 1965. Ruth went to work at W.B. Dillard Construction as a secretary after David was born. In 1967 she moved to the business office of Western Carolina University. There she moved up quickly and progressed into the position of Chancellor’s administrative assistant. She remained in that position for 27 years.

During her time in the Chancellor’s office, Ruth received many awards for her dedication to the University and the University of North Carolina System, one of which was the award of the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest civilian award for service in North Carolina. Ruth was awarded the Chanceller’s Chair in 1996 at her retirement celebration. She was only the fourth recipient of the Chancellor’s Chair since Western Carolina University was chartered in 1889.

Two days after Ruth retired Roy whisked her away to Alaska for three months, driving their pickup truck and pulling a travel trailer. It was the longest trip of their lives, and they stopped in Darrington, Washington, to visit with her extended family who had moved there during the 1930’s and 40’s.

After their return Ruth became very interested in genealogy and together with her brother, Larry, and a few others established the Jackson County Genealogical Society. She served as president, vice president, and other offices during her time with the organization. She traveled the country extensively researching genealogical information.

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents, Glenn and Hazel Crawford, her husband Roy Shuler, a granddaughter, Kristen Cheney, and her brother, Larry Crawford. She is survived by sister Jean Crawford Brown; her children: Kimberly Jean Shuler (Sam), Lorisa Anne Shuler Cheney (David), and David GlennShuler (Pam); grandchildren: Jeffrey Shuler, Christopher Shuler, Mathew Shuler, Brittney Shuler Crumbley, Joshua Cheney, Jon Cheney, Lindsay Shuler Smith, Madison Shuler Raby, Maverick Shuler, and Yasmine Dehdashty Gosnell; and great-grandchildren: Layla Shuler, Koal and Allissa and Lucas Shuler, Dakota and Harper Crumbley, Reese and Luke Smith, and Rhett and Malcolm Gosnell.

Visitation will be held from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Sunday, December 28, 2025 at Appalachian Funeral Home in Sylva. Funeral Services will be held at the same location on December 29, 2025 at 2:00 pm with interment following at Parris Cemetery. Speakers will be Rev. Joe Yelton, Jim Rowell, and Brian McMahan. Pallbearers will be David Shuler, Maverick Shuler, David Cheney, Joshua Cheney, Jon Cheney, Philip Brown, Matt Brown, Jeff Shuler, and Chad Smith as an alternate.