Ruth C. Buerkle

Ruth Cowie Buerkle, 89, passed away peacefully Monday, February 18, 2013 at her home surrounded by her children. She graduated from Santa Rosa School of Nursing in San Antonio, TX before joining the WW II war effort in the Army Nurse Corps where she was awarded the Army Commendation Ribbon and specialized in psychiatric nursing. Following her marriage in 1949, she and her husband, Colonel Bill Buerkle, enjoyed military assignments throughout the States and in Japan where she served as Eighth Army Area Girl Scout Chair for military dependents, and in Turkey for four years where she served as President of the Turkish American Womens Association in Ankara. While assigned to Fort Campbell, KY she served as Chairman of Volunteer Registered Nurses and later as Chairman of Red Cross Volunteers. In Texas she co-founded the Fort Sam Houston Historical Society in 1967 where, as Vice-president in charge of research, she researched and wrote the nine bronze markers that were placed in front of military quarters where those occupants once resided. She was instrumental in saving the Infantry Posts Commander’s Quarters (Stilwell House) from demolition with a last minute reprieve from Washington for which she was awarded an official commendation from the Department of the Army Center of Military History. She then served eight years as President of the Society which was awarded the San Antonio Conservation Society’s prestigious 1970 Preservation award for promoting recognition of historic Fort Sam Houston. She was asked to join the San Antonio Bicentennial Heritage Committee in 1976 as one of eight authors who wrote the award winning Bicentennial book, San Antonio in the Eighteenth Century, which was selected by the Heritage Commission as the best Bicentennial book on local or regional Texas history. She was cited by the Texas Historical Foundation for distinguished service and awarded a Commendation by the Texas Historical Commission. She published several articles on collectibles in The Village Chronicle and historical articles for Fort Sam Houstons Preservation News. As a founding member of the River City Villagers collector club she served as editor of “The Village Voice” for five years and later for two years as editor of the San Antonio Writers Guild. She continued to write articles for Dept. 56 collectors up until her death. A long time member of the San Antonio Conservation Society, she volunteered in the Oral History program and wrote a paper on Fort Sam Houston in the early seventies that ultimately helped place Fort Sam Houston on the National Register of Historic Places. She was instrumental in updating the information on The Main Post Chapel, “The Gift Chapel”, at Fort Sam Houston, which is published by The Religious Support Office for Ft. Sam Houston. Ruth had the opportunity to live in Artillery Post quarters at Ft. Sam Houston growing up; a privilege not afforded many civilians, because her mother was the hostess and manager of the Officer’s Club from 1929 to 1959. During this time she had the opportunity to meet many military giants, including President Dwight (Ike) Eisenhower and General Douglas MacArthur. During World War II Ruth stayed with Mrs. Mamie Eisenhower for a short time while General Eisenhower was Commander of the European Theater. Ruth was a life-long avid traveler enjoying membership in many organizations, attending Gatherings around the country in addition to cruises with friends to Alaska, the Far East, the Greek Isles and Panama. She had a wonderful, bountiful life, full of family and friends with something new always beckoning around the corner. One of her long time passions was history, research, and family genealogy. She created a newsletter for her family, titled “Our Family Voice”, tracing the Cowie family back to the 1600s in Scotland and Ireland. She is survived by her three children, Kathleen (Kathy) Buerkle Smith and husband Gill, Maureen Buerkle Rodriguez and husband David, and Richard Buerkle and wife Stacy, all of San Antonio; nine grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; twelve nieces and nephews and numerous grand nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Colonel Bill Buerkle (retired); two sisters, Grace Mary Cowie Williamson who lived with her for twenty two years after they were widowed; Florence Cowie Larsen of Palm Beach Gardens, FL; her brother, attorney Robert H. (Bob) Cowie of Houston, TX, and her mother Mrs. Florence H. Cowie of San Antonio, TX, former hostess of the Fort Sam Houston Officers Club 1929 – 1959.

Cemetery:
Graveside services will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013 at 1:30 PM at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions can be made to Preservation Fort Sam Houston, pfsh.org