Ruth Ramsburg

Mrs. (Ruth) Helen (Harris) Ramsburg, 89, of Dublin Road, Walkersville passed away Friday, August 14, 2015 at Glade Valley Nursing Home.  Born Oct. 29, 1925 in Miami, Florida, she was the daughter of the late William H. and Naomi C. (Shafer) Harris  of Washington, D. C. & McLain, VA.  Helen was the wife of the late Staley W. Ramsburg who passed away July 17, 2001. They were married Sept. 7, 1946.

Helen grew up in D.C. and attended Powell Jr. High School where she sang alto in the girl’s glee club and school choir.  She also played piano in the Jr. High School band and in the high school orchestra.  Her mother, a piano teacher, gave her piano lessons over the years.  She graduated from Central High School in 1943 and was recruited into the Civil Service of the Federal Government as a summer hire (1943-1946) for the Department of Agriculture.

Helen attended Hood College where she took pipe organ lessons from Professor Wade and rendered the final selection, “The Gates of Kiev” in a student recital given in 1946.  She received a BA Degree in Biology in 1947.  She was then employed as a Clinical Laboratory Technician at the Frederick Memorial Hospital until 1948 when she became a Biological Aid at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda until 1951.  For the next four years, she was a stay-at-home mom.  She subsequently obtained employment at Fort Detrick as a laboratory technician from 1954-1957 and as a microbiologist from 1957 until her retirement on 31 Dec. 1992 from the Virology Division of USAMRIID after 40 years of Government Service.

During her employment at Fort Detrick, she continued her education.  From 1956-1960 she took courses at the University of Maryland Graduate School, including Pathogenic Bacteriology, Virology, Tissue Culture, Immunology & Serology.  From 1964-1968, she took a Government course at Fort Detrick in Technical Report Writing, an updated course in General Chemistry at Hood College and an Oral Communications Course at the Department of Agriculture Graduate School.  From 1983-1985 she attended the Center for Professional Advancement in East Brunswick, NJ where she took courses in Good Laboratory Practices and Innovation in Vaccine Technology.  In 1982, she received a Master’s of Arts degree from Hood College in environmental biology.

Over the years, she co-authored papers published in scientific journals;  “Gastroenterology;”  “American Journal of Veterinary Research;”, American Journal  of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; “  “Journal of Infectious Diseases;”  “Applied and Environmental Microbiology;” and “Vaccine.”  She also made presentations at scientific meetings held in Washington, D.C. and in Alberta, Canada.

Mrs. Ramsburg was the recipient of several awards:  In 1964, a “Special Act and Service Award” while directly involved in major programs of vaccine production and immunization of personnel; in 1976, an “Outstanding Performance Appraisal with Quality Increase” for her contributions to  ongoing vaccine studies; in 1986, a “Special Service Award” for her outstanding contributions to the USAMRIID Vaccine Development Program” (Her actions enabled the compilation, analysis and review of  multitudinous details critical to the completion of two long-term projects.) in 1991, a “Special Services Award” for services rendered from 8 Aug. 1990 – 27 Feb 1991 during operation desert Shield/Desert Storm during which time she and others devoted time to the objectives and priorities of the war effort; she was also “officially commended for exceptional performance of duties during the period 1 November 1991 through 31 October 1992 as a Microbiologist, Department of Viral Biology, Virology Division, USAMRIID.”  During her retirement ceremony on 13 Jan 1993, she was presented the “Commander’s Award for Civilian Service from 21 Nov. 1955 – 31 Dec 1992.”  This award is one of the most prestigious awards given by the Army to Civilians who are the equivalent of Col. and above.  Mrs. Ramsburg was also included in numerous “Who’s Who” publications from 1975-1989.

Helen enjoyed traveling overseas with her mother each summer.  Between 1973 and 1987 they visited Hawaii, the Orient, Scandinavia, Europe, Russia and the Holy Land and took a cruise to Bermuda and through the Panama Canal.  They also cruised the Caribbean and Greek Islands which included Turkey.

Since Mr. Ramsburg’s retirement, she has been researching the descendants of John Shafer (Johannes Schaefer) who settled in Middletown Valley and was a Revolutionary War Patriot.  She is a member of the Frederick Chapter of the DAR and has been chairman of several committees over the years.  In the past, she enjoyed raising and showing German Shepherd dogs.  Since her marriage to a dairy farmer, she has been involved in the operation of the family dairy farm.  Although no longer a dairy farm, it is being used by the grandson to grow various crops.

Mrs. Ramsburg was preceded in death by her aunts Ethel, Grace and Mary Shafer of Middletown and by her uncles Rev. Joe Harris & wife of Tennessee and Thomas W. Harris of Texas and brother-in-law, John P. Beauchamp, a brother-in-law Marshall J. Ramsburg and a sister-in-law, Etta M. (Ramsburg) Leveronne and husband, Arthur A.  Surviving are one estranged daughter Cassandra L. R. Keilholtz and husband of Walkersville, one foster daughter, Angela A. Halbrook Fry and husband Wayne E. Fry of Feagaville, three grandchildren, S.Edward Mahring, Jr. and his wife Sandra of Walkersville, Laura G. Duncan of Woodsboro and J.D. Duncan of Walkersville;  two foster grandchildren, Christopher M. Fry and Timothy W. Fry and wife Brandy of Frederick;  three great grandchildren, Victoria, Jennifer and Bradley Mehring of Walkersville, one great-great grandson Dallas Smith,  one foster great granddaughter,  Taylor of Frederick, one sister, Catherine Harris Beauchamp of Falls Church, VA and her extended family, one aunt-in-law Patricia (Murray) Harris  of Williamsburg, VA and her extended family in various states.  She is also survived by the extended family of the late Rev. Joe & Margaret Harris of Tennessee.  Also surviving are a sister-in-law Margaret I. (Ramsburg) Wachter and husband Edward L. and extended family, in addition to a close nephew and two nieces, Arthur A. Leveronne, Jr., Janeen L. Hotchkiss and extended family and Patricia L. Weddle and extended family.  She will be remembered by her Godsons, Bobby, Jamie and John Murray and their families.

The family will receive friends at the Stauffer Funeral Home, 40 Fulton Avenue, Walkersville, Tuesday, August 18, from 2-4 and 7-9:00 pm, where services will be held Wednesday, August 19, at 1:00 pm with Rev. Tim May officiating. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to service.

Interment will be in Resthaven Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society,  Suite 908, 1393 Progress Way, Eldersburg, Maryland  21784