Ruth Marion Schaefer, 81, a 24-year resident of Whidbey Island, died at 9:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2004, at Careage of Whidbey in Coupeville.

Mrs. Schaefer was born on Feb. 5, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Joseph A. and Alma (Anderson) Clinger. The youngest of three children, she was raised and attended public schools in Bedford, Ohio, near Cleveland. Since age five, her primary interests were musical, and she studied under private tutors for many years. An excellent soprano, she played the role of Hansel in Humperdinck’s opera, Hansel and Gretel, produced by the Grass Roots Opera Association at the Phoenix Little Theater.

In her professional career she directed children’s, youth and adult choirs at Zion and Our Saviour’s Lutheran Churches in Phoenix. Ultimately, after moving to Whidbey Island, she also served at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church for several years in that capacity. A prolific composer of choral and instrumental music, she also collaborated with her daughter, Martha Ellis, in the creation and production of Sunday School Christmas programs and a number of musicals on religious themes, many of which were presented at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church.

During her life in Arizona, she served as president of the Musicians Club of Phoenix and of the state chapter of the American Guild of Organists. She was a member of SESAC, the Hymn Society of America, Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, and the Choristers Guild, and is listed in the 12th Edition of International Who’s Who In Music.

For 57 years, she was the eminently loyal, devoted and loving wife of John E. Schaefer, a local civil engineer, who will miss her dearly. Ruth is also survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Steve Ellis of Coupeville; as well as numerous other relatives, including nephew Jim Tietjen and wife Sevil of Huntsville, AL, and nieces Ruth Councell and husband George of Pennington, NJ, Anne Tietjen and husband John Barker of Bellingham, and Callie Masten of Carpentersville, IL. She was preceded in death by two siblings.

A Graveside Service will be Thursday, Dec. 30, at 1 p.m. at Sunnyside Cemetery, followed by a Memorial Service at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church at 2 p.m., Pastor Laurie Johnson officiating. Memorials may be made to Oak Harbor Lutheran Church, 1253 NW 2nd Ave., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Arrangements under direction of Burley Funeral Chapel.