Ruth Ellen Pestle, 87, a longtime resident of Waitsfield and educator, passed away peacefully at Heaton Woods in Montpelier, VT, on Wednesday evening, August 5, 2020. Born in Montpelier on September 10, 1932, she was the daughter of the late Ray Irving Pestle Sr. and Cleora (McClurg) Pestle.
Ruth graduated from Waitsfield High School in 1950 and continued her education at the University of Vermont, graduating in 1954. She taught home economics at Proctor (VT) High School and Molly Stark Junior High School in Bennington, VT, before receiving her master’s degree in 1960 and PhD in 1962 from Cornell University in home economics education. Dr. Pestle taught at the State University of New York in Oneota, Oklahoma State University and Florida State University.
Recognitions included memberships in Omicron Nu, Phi Upsilon Omicron, Kappa Omicron Phi, the International Federation of Home Economics, the Family and Consumer Sciences Association, Queen Esther Chapter #7 Order of the Eastern Star, the Waitsfield, VT, Historical Society, the Waitsfield, VT, United Church of Christ and was a former member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, FL. A fellowship exists in Ruth’s name at Florida State University. Ruth published poems, professional teaching materials and articles.
Ruth is survived by her nieces, Carol Goodnow of Spofford, NH, and Cleora D’Arcy and her husband Stephen of Urbana, IL; her nephews, John Pestle and his wife Penelope of Green Valley, AZ, Curtis Richardson and his wife Kirsten of Thetford, VT; great nephews, William Pestle and Grant D’Arcy; great nieces, Sarah Pestle and Meriden D’Arcy.
A memorial celebration will be held via Zoom in the near future. Please email the Waitsfield, VT, UCC at
Arrangements are in the care of Perkins-Parker Funeral Home in Waterbury, VT. To send online condolences visit www.perkinsparker.com or the funeral home Facebook page.
