Obituary: Ruth Ann (McSweeney) Pichler, 1931-2024 

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• Courtesy
• Ruth Ann McSweeney

Ruth Ann (McSweeney) Pichler passed away on Saturday, August 10, 2024. She was born in Burlington, Vt., on July 17, 1931, the fourth of 10 children.

Ruth Ann had fond memories of growing up on South Willard Street at the Club 28, summers at Starr Farm, Camp Kiniya and Lost Cove. Ruthie loved Lake Champlain, the mountains and all that nature had to offer. She delighted in a patch of blue sky, robins nesting and the first flowers of spring.

Early in her nursing career, her independent spirit led her to Boston, Pittsburgh and Montréal. On a trip back home, she took a wrong turn and ended up in Montgomery Center, where she met Franz, her future husband. She left Montréal and never looked back, thus beginning their 50 years together. Franz built their family home, where they raised Tom and Maria, their two children.

Ruth’s nursing career spanned over 40 years. She worked with children, the elderly and everybody in between. The breadth of her work spanned from home nursing on back dirt roads to staff nursing in various hospitals. The greatest joy of her career was taking care of Bishop Joyce during the last years of his life.

She was predeceased by her husband, Franz. She is survived by her son, Tom; daughter in-law, Heather; and daughter, Maria. She is also survived by her sister, Martha; her sisters-in-law, Marilyn and Anne; and brothers in-law, Ned, Hank and Dean; plus two dear friends, Ellen and Connie.

She outlived eight of her siblings, Doug, Marie, Father John, Margaret, Kitty, Billy, Louise and Elizabeth, all of whom she loved and missed dearly. We would like to thank Mom’s Edgemoor neighbors. She so enjoyed going out for her walks, admiring the day and sharing a conversation with all of you.

Ruth was guided by her faith and her spirit was light; she was a kind and gentle soul. Her world revolved around her family.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 16, in St. Mark’s Catholic Church on North Avenue in Burlington.