of Conway, AR

August 5, 1931 - March 7, 2026

Patricia Ann Ruelle Schlater died on March 7, 2026, in Conway, Arkansas. Born on August 5, 1931, in Kenosha, Wisconsin, she was the daughter of Violet and Leslie Ruelle. Pat attended St. Mary's Catholic School until the eighth grade and then graduated from Kenosha High School. While attending high school, she met the love of her life, Richard Allen Schlater, whom she later married in 1949, and had been wedded to for 75 years.

Pat and Richard lived at Camp Pendleton Marine Base in San Diego, California, while Richard was deployed as a Marine to fight in the Korean War. Upon his return, the Schlaters remained in Southern California while Richard attended UCLA and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Pat's support of Richard throughout his college and graduate education was evident in her secretarial work that she perfected. During their time in graduate school, their first daughter, Pamela Ann, was born. After graduating from Fuller Seminary, Richard and Pat moved to Superior, Wisconsin where they had their first Parish church. Susan Joy, their second daughter, was born in Superior. Next, they moved to Phillips, Wisconsin to lead a Presbyterian Church, and then they moved on to Las Cruces, New Mexico where Richard was Associate Pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

Their next assignment was given when Richard joined the US Army in El Paso, Texas, and the Schlaters' ''world travels'' began when they moved, with the girls, to Munich, Germany; Mineral Wells, Texas; Brooklyn, New York; Augsburg, Germany and finally White Sands Missile Range, in Southern New Mexico.

During each of these tours, Pat remained active in church activities including piano accompaniment, and singing in church choirs, and kept the family unified with her wonderful meals and unconditional love. She worked at various military bases as an administrative assistant; Pat's first and most important priority was being a devoted Wife and loving Mother.

The Schlaters returned to Las Cruces, New Mexico in 1978 where Richard completed his military service, and remained there in retirement until moving to Conway, Arkansas in 2021.

Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Chaplain LT. Col (ret) Richard Schlater, and is survived by her two daughters whom she dearly loved: Pamela Ann (Dr. Fred) Hueston of Conway, Arkansas, and Dr. Susan Joy (Michael) Malone of Petoskey, Michigan. Also, she has four grandchildren, Cameron (Whitney) Hueston of Lone Tree, Colorado; Dr. Devin (Dr. Mariah) Hueston of Petoskey, Michigan; Megan (Damon) Graham of Petoskey, Michigan; and Shane (Alexis) Malone of San Diego, California. Pat also has three great-grandchildren, River and Eva Hueston of Lone Tree, CO and Parker Malone of San Diego, California.

Burial will be alongside her husband at Fort Smith National Cemetery.

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-McNutt Funeral Home
650 Central Landing Blvd.
Conway, AR  72032
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com