Sheila Ruth a long-time faculty member at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, died on June 7 in Wellington, Florida. She was 82 years old.
A native of New York City, Dr. Ruth earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Hunter College of the City University of New York. She went on to earn a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo of the State University of New York System
Dr. Ruth joined the philosophy faculty at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 1971. Two years later, she founded the university’s women’s studies program and served as its director until 1985.
Professor Ruth was the author of the textbook Issues in Feminism: An Introduction to Women’s Studies (Mayfield Publishing, 1990). it is now in its fifth edition. She also published Take Back the Light: A Feminist Reclamation of Spirituality and Religion (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1994).
She retired from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at the end of 1999 and was named professor emerita.