Circulation stalwart started part-time; wound up as supervisor

Ruby Schlatterer never had a byline in the Daily Herald, but her work behind the scenes with the paper carriers and overseeing the circulation clerks played a key role in the growth of the paper, her colleagues say.

Mrs. Schlatterer passed away on Monday. The longtime Arlington Heights resident was 79.

It was in 1971 when Mrs. Schlatterer and a friend applied for a four-hour-a-day, part time job with the Herald.

“We never planned on it lasting more than a few months,” said Rita Stark, who ultimately retired from the accounting department in 1995 after 24 years.

What started as a clerical position for Mrs. Schlatterer quickly grew in responsibility. When she retired in 1998, she was a supervisor in the circulation department.

Jim Galetano, circulation vice president, recalls that Mrs. Schlatterer began preparing communications for carriers, including bundling their collection tags with their route lists and numbers.

“Ruby was instrumental in overseeing that aspect of the business,” Galetano says.

When the Daily Herald consolidated all its departments into one building, moving to 155 E. Algonquin Road in Arlington Heights, Mrs. Schlatterer moved with them.

In 1995, she assumed the role of work group supervisor in the circulation department, overseeing the clerical staff which entered delivery information and verified subscriptions.

Her verification role was an important one, colleagues say. Before processing these subscriptions, she and her clerks would be contacting potential customers to audit their information before executing the delivery.

“There was a lot of work to get done, on a day-to-day basis,” Galetano adds. “We would sell hundreds of new subscriptions every month.”

Mrs. Schlatterer also took care of the processing and mailing of the introductory letters and promotional materials for circulation.

“She was often seen pushing a cart full of boxes to the mailroom,” says Lucy Lampinen, customer service representative. “Through it all, she was pleasant, even when deadlines kept her running from the mailroom to pulling reports off the computer.”

Robert Paddock Jr. said dedication like Mrs. Schlatterer’s helped reinforce the Daily Herald’s position in the Northwest suburbs.

“Like all of the Circulation staff, Ruby had a strong commitment to customer service,” Paddock said.

Mrs. Schlatterer was preceded in death by her husband, Donald G. Schlatterer; and her son, Robert Schlatterer. She is survived by her children, Donald J. (dear friend Chris Koprowski) Schlatterer and Sharon (Michael) Loughnane; as well as three grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Visitation takes place from 3-6 p.m. Saturday at Glueckert Funeral Home, 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road in Arlington Heights. Funeral services will be private.