Ruth Anna Gudinas completed her full circle and walked on from this earthly life on Friday night, September 5, 2014, at the age of 82 years. Ruth lived an extraordinary life of love, laughter, and genuine service to others through all her years. These last years, Ruth lived with Alzheimer's disease - and she did so with grace, good humor and much support from others. Ruth is the loving partner to her special friend of over 50 years, Dorothy (Dot) W. Davids. Some of us find our path in life, while others make a path by walking it. Ruth and Dot walked together through life, creating a path for each other - and for us who follow them. Ruth is an honored multicultural educator, beloved family member, devoted friend, tireless advocate for justice, peace and understanding, and a committed community activist. Ruth was born in Rochester, New York on Wednesday, December 9th, 1931 - the day after her father drove her mother down a rocky, bumpy road in an attempt to assure Ruth would be born on the Catholic Holy Day of the Immaculate Conception (December 8th). She missed by one day. Ruth's birth family included her parents, Louisa (Lou) Guenther Gudinas (1897 - 1980) and William Henry Gudinas (1893 - 1977), as well as her older sister, Marie (born September 5, 1929). Ruth celebrated the Lithuanian ancestral heritage of her father and the German ancestral heritage of her mother throughout her life. She noted that she was born in the traditional lands of the people of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois. Ruth's life has four major chapters: (a) Rochester, NY: In the first chapter of her life, Ruth attended both Catholic and public elementary schools, and Nazareth Academy for Girls. Ruth was the President of her class for 3 years in high school, won the Bishop's Oratorical Contest in 1949, and graduated 6th out of 273 students. She entertained her friends with impressions of famous comedians, especially Victor Borge doing "Phonetic Punctuation." She loved all kinds of music and organized dance parties in her friend's basement. Glenn Miller's "Just squeeze Me" was one of her favorite dance tunes. Ruth entered the convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, NY and received her habit on July 3, 1950, at the age of 18. She was a member of "The Band of 1950" - a group of 17 young women entering the convent together, some of whom continue to be her dear friends to this day. At this time Ruth took the name Sister Mary de Montfort and she received BA (1953) and MA (1961) degrees in History from Nazareth College. She taught at St. Monica's in Rochester (1953-55), Mount Carmel High School in Auburn, NY (1955-62), and Nazareth Academy in Rochester (1962-63). She also taught Saturday Extension classes at Nazareth College for several years. (b) Chicago, IL: Ruth was sent to the University of Chicago by her convent to earn a PhD in Political Science, moving into International House in Chicago in 1963 at the age of 31. There she met people from many countries and a wide variety of cultures from around the world, making especially wonderful friendships that lasted for decades. Ruth noted that, after her life in International House, she also learned to hate all curry foods! Ruth embraced this time of her life - it was an incredible time of growth, where she learned so very much. She learned about alternative educational approaches and how the world looked from different cultural perspectives. She developed a Social Conscience, looking at how the powers in society keep certain groups of people down - and committing to work to change that. Ruth also began to think of a church as a real and supportive community of searchers. Ruth went on to say, "I've been a searcher ever since!" Exactly 51 years ago, on Ruth's second day at International House, she met her lifelong partner, Dorothy (Dot) W. Davids, who became her best friend, mentor and more. Dot taught her to appreciate differences - not judge them. Dot also introduced Ruth to the HoChunk people of Wisconsin and their politics are the focus of her PhD dissertation. Ruth worked as a respected ally with the people of the HoChunk Nation of Wisconsin, with the result being her dissertation "Wisconsin Winnebago Political Organization: Structure/Culture Incompatibility and Organizational Effectiveness." She earned her PhD in June, 1974. After being called back to Rochester by her convent superiors in 1970, Ruth taught at Nazareth College for a couple of years, but felt compelled to leave her beloved Sisters of St. Joseph on August 1, 1972. Ruth wrote to her Mother Superior requesting a dispensation from her vows as a Sister, stating: "My awareness that I do not belong in religious life has grown steadily over a period of years, despite my repression of it ... I love the Sisters of St. Joseph, collectively and individually, especially the Sisters with whom I live. My listening to a different drummer' at this point in my life does not mean that I will forget the Sisters of St. Joseph, nor cease loving them." (c) Madison, Wisconsin: Ruth left the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of 40 with, in her words, a few dollars in her pocket and no Social Security Number. This was an incredibly courageous act of faith for Ruth. Dorothy waited outside in her little car and offered Ruth a place to stay back in Wisconsin, near Madison. The Madison Public Schools were looking for a part-time editor, and Ruth took that job in 1972. She soon became a Multicultural Curriculum Specialist in the Department of Human Relations with the Madison Metropolitan School District - a position she held for the next 17 years. Ruth began working for the Madison Public Schools at a time when educators were becoming more aware of the wonderful diversity of our community members - and of the need for providing equal educational opportunities for all. Ruth was an educator who recognized the need for instruction and materials that more realistically reflected society and included a wider range of histories, cultures and perspectives. She was a leader in developing educational tools to analyze materials for bias. School staff members were trained by Ruth to recognize bias and to supplement instruction in order to provide a more balanced experience for all students. She promoted the use of authentic materials and searched out high quality books and other materials representing a wide range of experiences and perspectives. The outstanding educational work of the Council on Interracial Books for Children, Rethinking Schools, Akwesasne Notes and countless other national organizations became part of the everyday life for many Madison teachers. Ruth amassed an outstanding multicultural library for use by all members of Madison's school community. She helped teachers understand the positive impact that books and other educational materials can have on all students when they reflect a wider, more complete range of cultures and experiences. Ruth organized staff development classes on culturally-related learning styles as well as on developing engaging curriculum. She worked in partnership with numerous members of local communities to provide presentations for classrooms and school-wide events. Ruth modeled active multicultural education in everything she did, both in her work and real life as well. She was a good listener and her door was always open. And she took action! She had no problem asking the school district for funds to allow teachers to work together to improve their curriculum, no problem asking the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for funds to provide training for teachers on all 12 of Wisconsin's Native Nations, and no problem asking the federal government for funds to start a Title IV program for American Indian students. She fought for real balance in the expression of holidays of all traditions and cultures in the schools. Ruth was well known and greatly respected around the district, state and nation-wide. She consulted extensively with a vast array of community members, working as a respectful partner to bring the perspective of those who are typically un-listened to, unempowered and disenfranchised into the life of the public schools. Ruth's tireless efforts and positive attitude made it all possible. She was a deeply principled and intensely dedicated educator, working with teachers and enabling them to do what they do in better, more inclusive ways. She was known to say "I truly love education - and I will always hate indoctrination." Ruth received a variety of awards for her service to the people of Madison and the state of Wisconsin. More importantly, she made changes that were carried on by the teachers she worked with and all the students they taught. Ruth made the district a better place, Madison a better place, and the world a better place. Her presence in that world will be sorely missed. Ruth received numerous awards including the Madison Schools Distinguished Service Award (1986); Wisconsin Outstanding Human Relations Educator of the Year (1988); Outstanding Organization Award from the Wisconsin State Human Relations Association for the work she and Dot did as "Full Circle" in retirement (2004) and many other honors for her contributions to education and social justice. (d) Mohican Nation: Stockbridge-Munsee Community In 1986 Ruth and Dot together bought a home on Big Lake Road (near Gresham, WI) on the historic reservation lands of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe. Dot is an enrolled member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe and grew up there until leaving to go to college. As a matter of fact, the land where their new home was now located had been Dot's parent's cow pasture - until the land was lost to their family in the 1930's Depression years. The old "Crooked Road" from Dot's family home on the shores of Big Lake pass alongside their new home - and Ruth noted that a Crooked Road was a good way to see her life's path! Ruth continued to work in Madison and traveled north to spend weekends, holidays and vacations at their new home until she moved permanently "up north" after her retirement from the Madison Metropolitan School District in June, 1989 at the age of 57. In "retirement" Ruth and Dot continued to do extensive and award-winning multicultural educational consulting as FULL CIRCLE: Education for a Diverse Society until 2012. Their work throughout the past three decades includes educational retreats and curriculum support, encouraging new, young writers (such as the "Woodland Writers Group"), the Stockbridge-Munsee Historical Committee, working with educators across the state in all school settings, and much more. They were foundational pillars of the statewide annual weeklong professional development and cultural immersion offered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction - "American Indian Studies Summer Institute" - from its inception in 1997 until 2012. Additionally they established a nonprofit publishing organization called MUH-HE-CON-NEEW Press and published a number of excellent books, including: Mama's Little One by Kristina Heath (1998); Stories of Our Elders by Youth of the Mohican Nation (1999); Chief Ninham: Forgotten Hero written by Eva Jean Bowman and illustrated by Students of Bowler Elementary School (1999); School Days: Memories of Life in Morgan Siding, 1925-1933 by Harry Bauman and edited by Jeri Bauman (2006); ANIISHIK adapted by Dorothy W. Davids (1994; 2001; updated 2008); Inner Dreams and Outer Circles: Poems by Dorothy Winona Davids, edited by Sister Beatrice Ganley (2007); and The Mohican People: Their Lives and Their Lands; A Curriculum Unit for Grades Four and Five by Dorothy W. Davids, Ruth A. Gudinas, Laurie S. Frank, Kasey Rae Anne Keup, and Barbara Miller (2008). Ruth commented on their "Full Circle" work once, stating: "Our home is a retreat center in the woods and is a place where friends come to visit, stare out the windows, watch birds and animals that wander through the trees, and enjoy conversation. And yes, folks DO come to make retreats also!" Many cats adopted Ruth and Dot over the years, starting in their Madison-area home. The first cat was known as "Cat" and then became "Big Cat" when the second cat, "Little Cat," came to their home. A third cat was named Three, followed by numbered cats up to 15 (known as "Teeno"). Several cats received Mohican numbers as names, such as "Gutaasch" and "Nishaasch" (numbers 6 and 7). Their last living elder cat, the beloved 13 (known as "Baker" for "Baker's Dozen"), left this world in late 2013. Anyone who visited their home came to know their many cats and the love of Ruth and Dot for these four-legged family members. When you visited Dot and Ruth's home you were invited to sit at the table and participate in great meals prepared by Ruth. And many of us, who tried to be of help to Ruth in "her kitchen," found ourselves being clearly informed that we were NOT to be in the kitchen. If we wanted to be of help, we were to leave the kitchen immediately. Both Ruth and Dot were dedicated to their Green Bay Packers, with Ruth waving Pom Pons and ringing a cowbell or blowing an airhorn to celebrate every score. She loved to laugh and dearly enjoyed good jokes, including the humor of Cheech and Chong and George Carlin. Ruth also had a deep love of music. She was able to sing along with many of the songs of her favorite singers, such as Sparky and Rhonda Rucker, Skip Jones, and her beloved Bill Miller, until the last of her days. Today the home of Dot and Ruth, and the woodlands surrounding it, are the property of the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe. Their 14 acres of woodlands will be preserved by the tribe and will be known as "The Dorothy Davids and Ruth Gudinas Woodland Reserve." Ruth told us that we must remember that real gifts are the words we share - and that we often are too materialistic in our thinking about gifts. Ruth indeed gave us all the important Gifts of her words! Many of the papers, writings and educational works created by Ruth, as well as the works she and Dot created together as "Full Circle," are housed at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. Thanks to the work of UW-GB's First Nations Studies Department leadership, we can all view these archives on the internet through the website for UW-GB and their "Professional Program in Education - First Nations Studies" at http://www.uwgb.edu/educ-fns/ Much of the work of Ruth and Dot can also be found at the Stockbridge-Munsee Community's Arvid E. Miller Memorial Library Museum, with info at http://mohican-nsn.gov/Departments/Library-Museum/. In July, 2014 the Stockbridge-Munsee Community adopted an official proclamation which "acknowledges Dorothy "Aunt Dot" Davids' and Ruth Gudinas' legacy of education and community service within our Community." The proclamation includes this statement: "In honor and recognition of Ruth Gudinas, a community member and respected Elder, who has shown us the value of true and lasting friendship, her commitment to address the social injustices in society through education, and her lifetime commitment to our Community through her dedication to the Historical Committee as well as her efforts towards providing a forum for education on Mohican history" (Ruth helped lead the first Mohican History and Culture Conference, titled "Many Trails of the Mohican Nation" on October 10-12, 2001). Ruth is survived by her lifetime partner, Dorothy W. Davids. She is also survived by her sister, Marie Gossman (with her husband Jim) and three nieces, Martha, Ruth and Karla, all living in Colorado. A niece, Ann, preceded her in death. Additionally Ruth has an extensive and caring family of Dot's sisters and brothers, plus many nieces and nephews who have always provided her with unending love and constant support. Finally, she has an extremely large family of friends from across the nation and throughout the world. We want to honor all the staff of the Ella Besaw Center of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community where Ruth lived since spring, 2013, and the Community Health Nurse for the Stockbridge Community. These wonderful people have offered her unending support, devotion, dedication, love and laughter. We also wish to thank all the staff of Unity Hospice of Green Bay for their especially thoughtful, caring work in helping Ruth during her last months of life. As Ruth once wrote to a dear friend: "What can I say? It's been a great ride and we ain't home yet! Let's hang in together! Love, Ruth." Donations: Ruth's wish is that financial donations be made to a special organization which has been working to prevent violence, protect civilians, and promote peace worldwide since 2002 - Nonviolent Peaceforce (425 Oak Grove Street; Minneapolis, MN 55403 -- USA); phone 612.871.0005; www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org Celebration of Ruth's Life will be held at the Pine Hills Banquet Hall (the "A" Frame) beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, November 15th, 2014, with the service at 1:30 p.m. This is located on Big Lake Road, at the Pine Hills Golf Course of the Mohican Nation: Stockbridge-Munsee Community. Please bring a dish to pass and all of your special memories of Ruth to share with our family and community as we all celebrate our dear Ruthie! The date of November 15th is the 70th anniversary of the founding constitutional convention of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in 1944. Mr. Arvid Miller, a member of Dot Davids' family, was a founder of this important organization, and Dot worked as a staff person with NCAI in Washington, D.C. in the early 1960's. www.swedbergfuneralhome.com