Woolridge, Mary Ethel Schenck

Mary Ethel Schenck Woolridge, 94, passed away early Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010, in her room at Oaknoll. A gathering of friends and family will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, at Lensing's Oak Hill, 210 Holiday Rd., Coralville. Funeral services will follow at 4 p.m. Interment will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Oaknoll Foundation.

Born in Iowa City to Dr. Walter and Ethel Schenck on April 26, 1916, she was to be the oldest of their four children, Dorothy, Marjorie and Robert. It was in their home on College Street that she began her lifetime association with music, from listening to her father play his flute and her mother the piano. At the age of 4 she began to learn to play the piano herself by crawling onto the bench and playing along with her mother. Her piano teaching began at the age of 12 while still in junior high. After graduating from City High in 1934, she continued her education as a music major, graduating from the University of Iowa in 1939.

In 1939, she married Clarence Wooldridge and moved to Lake City, Iowa. They were blessed with three daughters, Carol, Bonnie and Mary Jane. Upon Clarence's death in 1945, Mary Ethel moved to Colorado, but later returned to Iowa City, continuing to teach piano, and now organ, through private lessons. She also worked as an accompanist for a small dance studio and for University of Iowa Dance classes in the Women's gym. After the accompanist jobs she worked for West Music Co., providing piano lessons for its customers.

For another 30 years she continued to teach privately. In 2005, she moved into Oaknoll, where she taught from her apartment, played during the dinner hours, and provided ‘oldies, but goodies' for the residents living within Oaknoll's Health Care Center where many would ‘sing along.' Mary finished her 80 years of teaching in March 2009 at the age of 92. At that time she still had 30 students ranging in age from 6 to 80.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; a son-in-law, Bob Bristol; and most recently her younger brother, Robert.

Surviving Mary are her sisters, Dorothy Olmore, Sandy, Utah, and Marjorie Dane (George); daughters, Carol Chittenden (Jon) of Anchorage, Alaska, Bonnie Bristol of Tempe, Ariz., and Mary Jane Powers (David) of Ashland City, Tenn.; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Many nieces and nephews share in the loss of their aunt, Mary Ethel. Also surviving are Janet Dane Driscoll, Bob Dane, Mary Jo Dane of Iowa City and Bill Dane of Urbandale.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at under obituaries.