Ruth Rudy remembered as trailblazer, role model in Centre County politics and beyond
Ruth Corman Rudy, former Pennsylvania state House representative and the first woman elected to a Centre County row position, died March 28 at 87 years old. She was known as a trailblazing role model who had an accomplished political career and was dedicated to her community.
She was a leader even in high school. She graduated from Penns Valley Area high school in 1955 and was class president, class secretary and on the student council.
In a 2007 interview with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives as part of an oral history project, Rudy said she became interested in politics at a young age.
“I always wanted to be some type of a leader, but coming from a farm in central Pennsylvania and being a woman, it was like wishing that I could just all of a sudden go to the moon or Mars,” Rudy said. She became involved in politics when her husband, C. Guy Rudy, ran for a countywide position in 1971.
Rudy served as the Centre County Prothonotary in 1975 until 1982 — the first woman elected to a county row office. Other women had been in those positions before her but were appointed to fill the position or replaced their husband.
Rudy then served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 171st district, which covered parts of Centre and Mifflin counties, from 1982 through 1996. During her first term, she was one of just a handful of women representatives in the state House.
Throughout her time as a state representative, she was vice chair of the agriculture and rural affairs committee, chair of the Central Pennsylvania Caucus, on the board of the Pennsylvania Commission for Women, her obituary states. She also chaired the Penn Ag Democrats, a state-wide organization, for several years.
She authored 11 bills that became law and was “instrumental in promoting improvements to the Route 322 highway,” according to her obituary. She often focused on issues related to agriculture and equity for women. She was the prime sponsor of legislation that led to Act 185 of 1990, which required restrooms be provided for women on an equitable basis.
Rudy attended every Democratic National Convention from 1972 through 2012 and was a delegate nine times. Margie Swoboda, chair of the Centre County Democratic Committee, worked on Rudy’s campaign for state representative, but their relationship solidified when they were Michael Dukakis delegates in 1988 and Bill Clinton delegates in 1992.
Swoboda remembers Rudy taking care of her and introducing her to everyone she knew — and to her impressive hats.
“She said to me, ‘you got to wear something so you stand out in the crowd whenever the TV is on you.’ And of course, I had no idea what she meant until she showed up with the hat that she had — she had a very iconic hat that’s in the Smithsonian,” Swoboda said. “And I remember thinking, oh my goodness, I could not admire and love this woman any more than just seeing her in her heyday at the national conventions.”
Two of the hats she designed and wore at the conventions are in the Smithsonian National Museum of History in Washington, D.C. It was common for people to wear hats that portray the theme of the convention or the candidate they were hoping to nominate, Rudy explained in a 2007 interview. The first hat she wore was a watermelon hat in support of Bill Clinton, who was from Hope, Arkansas, a place known for its watermelon production.
“I felt self-conscious when I got there, and I didn’t want to put that hat on, even though people all around me had hats on. And so I took it into the convention floor in a bag ... and once I was seated in there, then I put it on my head, and that’s when the action began. Because immediately there was a flock of people with cameras around,” Rudy said.
‘The leader for all of us to follow’
In 2007, Rudy said in order to have more women in office, they need to reach into the pipeline and prepare them for office long before they decide to run.
“They have to become well known in their communities. They have to be sort of a household name I would say, in the district in which they’re planning on running,” she said at the time. “And teachers, many times, are a good place to start, because teachers have name recognition, and that’s what you need in the long run. Is name recognition that people feel good about.”
During the interview she said it was difficult when she was first elected to the state House because there weren’t many other women and it was hard to find someone to show her the ropes.
She didn’t want that for future generations. Dianne Gregg, American Association of University Women’s State College public policy co-chair, and chair of the Penn Ag Democrats (which Rudy previously chaired), said Rudy succeeded in that regard.
“She was good with other women. She was gracious. She would lend her support to a candidate, she would host a fundraising event, she would sit with you and give advice. She was one of the first women to do many things, and she put thought into the women coming after her,” Gregg said. “So even in her later years, once I was elected (state president of the Federation of Democratic Women) two terms ago, she reached out to offer any help she could provide.”
Rudy showed what hard work looked like, Swoboda said, and to never take anything for granted. She knew and owned her role as a woman leader, was kind to everyone and offered advice to those who asked for it.
“When you look at all of the roles that she played ... she touched a lot of people’s lives, and just never stopped working. Ever. I remember one day I went into her office because I saw her agenda for the day, and I thought, wow, she’s like bionic or Superwoman or something,” Swoboda said. “I remember she came running in and had packed a lunch. She sat at her desk and ate her lunch, didn’t order out, and I was thinking, ‘man, this lady is incredible.’
“So I’ve always thought so highly and kindly of Ruth, and I hope it was mutual, but she was the leader for all of us to follow.”
Everyone involved in local Democratic politics either knew or knew of Rudy, Laura Shadle, Democratic State Committeewoman, said. Rudy mentored many women who went on to mentor people in Shadle’s Millennial generation — a cycle of mentorship and women empowerment that she’s blessed to be part of.
“I think now more than ever, our party needs more Ruth Rudy Democrats out there who just really know how to rise up and stand strong and boldly fight for what’s right. If anybody could do that, it was Ruth,” Shadle said.
LeDon Young, mayor of Centre Hall and president of the Penns Valley Area Historical Museum Association, said what she will miss the most about Rudy is having that resource.
“We told anybody and everybody, and when I ran, you go and have a talk with Ruth. What was the most effective thing to do? Should you do postcards? Should you do door-to-door? When I had brochures rough drafted, I would run them by her. She would make corrections and suggestions. She was really an outstanding consultant,” Young said.
In a 2007 interview, Rudy was asked what advice she would give to new women members in the state House.
“Just keep in mind that even though you’re female, you’re just as good as those men. In fact, most females work twice as hard and they’re twice as good as the men. They’re more devoted, more dedicated. So just don’t ever think that you aren’t as good as the men,” she said.
She was a trailblazer even outside of politics. In the mid-’90s she invented and received a patent for a device to shield your face from hairspray while applying it. She manufactured and sold the device and even appeared on QVC’s National Network in 1996 promoting and selling the shield, her obituary states.
Dedicated to her community
When the Penns Valley Area Historical Museum Association was no longer able to stay in its building due to concerns about its structure, Ruth and Guy Rudy stepped up and bought a house for the museum to move into.
Young said that enabled the Penns Valley Area Historical Museum Association to survive and expand. If the Smithsonian is America’s attic, she said, then the Penns Valley Historical Museum Association is Penn Valley’s attic. But the “attic” is museum quality with climate control and acid-free boxes.
“My heart is broken because people will bring us newspapers and pictures and whatever that have literally been in their family attic and it is disintegrating because of the extreme cold and then the extreme heat. So, she and Guy were able to allow us to help preserve the valley’s history ... it is so important that we maintain that heritage. And they enabled us to do that,” Young said.
They were both “major benefactors” of the museum association, her obituary says, and they also donated the electronic sign for the Grace United Methodist Church in Centre Hall.
Just as she was passionate about serving her constituents, Rudy was also very focused on strong family relationships and prioritized attending events like weddings, graduations, showers and more, her obituary states.
She served on several boards throughout Penns Valley and Centre County and was selected for many awards highlighting her accomplishments.
Sue Smith and Linda Marshall worked in Rudy’s district office while she was a state representative. They both remembered her as someone who cared a lot about others. Smith said she was undergoing breast cancer treatment during some of her time working there and Rudy was always understanding and gave her the time off that she needed.
Marshall said Rudy was compassionate about her constituents and set the example of how to serve people. She’ll remember Rudy’s strong work ethic, grit and compassion the most.
“I don’t know if people realize how hard she worked. She really, really worked hard in that position. And she knew every two years she had an opponent. So, sometimes you have these elected positions and you don’t have any opposition, but every two years she had an opponent,” Marshall said. “And they were opponents that she had to take seriously. So that in itself, because what you’re doing is you’re serving your constituents, but you’re also running for office the whole time. … Running in itself is almost like a second job.”
Centre County Prothonotary Jeremy Breon said her dedication to the community will leave a lasting legacy.
“Ruth’s dedication to advocating for communities and improving the lives of her constituents leaves a lasting legacy. Her influence was significant, tangible, and enduring. I am honored to serve as Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts, a position previously held by Ruth before her election to the PA House of Representatives. I will always cherish my memories of Ruth and the valuable political insights she shared with me,” Breon said in a text message.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 6:06 PM.
