SMOKEY POINT — For more than six decades of working with children and contributing to the community, Ruth Porter Munizza will be honored at the Stillaguamish Senior Center’s 10th annual Lifetime Achievement Breakfast fundraiser on Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 a.m.
A lifelong Washington state native, Ruth began teaching at Arlington High School 66 years ago. She became popular so quickly that the girls in her physical education class asked her to be their Camp Fire leader after only three months.
Ruth’s four-year teaching career at AHS came to an end in 1952, when she married coach Larry Munizza, since husbands and wives were not allowed to work at the same school at that time. All four of their daughters attended AHS and went on to college.
Ruth continued her work with Camp Fire, leading five groups of girls over the course of 28 years, until 1976. Her accomplishments earned her the Luther Halsey Gulick Camp Fire Award.
Ruth also served countless hours in the Lady Lions of Arlington, which she joined soon after moving to town. Her activities included selling bonds for the Arlington General Hospital on Stillaguamish Avenue, staffing the Fourth of July Lions Club fireworks booth, and serving coffee and cookies at the local rest stop. She was elected twice as club president.
Ruth joined the Arlington United Church in 1960, where she taught Sunday school and, in 1975, became a pianist and choir director for the Chancel Choir. She still holds the latter position to this day.
Ruth also contributed her talents as a pianist to the Arlington Manor, for their weekday church services, and the Lake Goodwin Community Center, where she organized square-dancing classes.
In 1963, Ruth was hired to teach two classes of 12 children each at the Arlington Cooperative Preschool, which became successful enough to have a waiting list. By the time she retired 37 years later, she and her colleagues had taught more than 2,000 students, many of them children of her former students.
Doors open at the senior center at 7 a.m. for the breakfast on Sept. 17. To RSVP, call 360-653-4551, ext. 230, or email at director@stillycenter.com.
