Ruthellen Viall

Ruthellen Viall, 59, of Binghamton passed away on January 1, 2025. She is survived by her daughter Courtney Norris and son Roger P. Kreiger III; mother Dorothy Sweetland Wilson; grandchildren Wyatt Fipps, and Madison Larnerd; brother Kenneth T. Viall III and her close family friend Donald J. DePetro. 

In Memory of Ruthellen Viall A life committed to canine excellence. Born into the fancy, Ruthellen Viall represented everything that’s right with our sport. Her keen understanding of the concept of breed type was manifest in her ability to achieve utter excellence in breeds across multiple groups. Her first show dog was one of her mother's Bichon Frise, whom Ruthellen began presenting at just 6 years of age. culminating in the pivotal role she played in the development of the Havanese which she showed under her Viva Havanese prefix. She loved Westminster and only ever missed one -the year her son was born the same time as the show! One of her most treasured moments was when her Havanese foundation bitch, Margarita Rose won BOB at the Garden at just 18 months of age. Her countless BIS, Group firsts, and specialty wins were only icing on the cake for her. The main goal was to preserve these breeds in their original form and be able to hand that project on to the next generation. To this end she threw herself into judges' education as a crucial component of ensuring the future of the breed.  Becoming intrigued by Pyrenean Shepherds shortly before recognition, Ruthellen and her son Roger Krieger spent a great deal of energy on the breed in the last 15 years of her life. Here again, she was able to cut through to what mattered most about breed type, movement and character. Her RBIS at the Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s AKC National Dog Show is testament to her skill. Ruthellen gave the sport the gift of two wonderful and talented young people -Courtney Norris and Roger Krieger. Roger shared his mother’s enthusiasm for Pyr Sheps, while Courtney began with Pekes and then moved on to become an all-breed handler, where she is a powerful force in several breeds. As everyone who knew and loved her could tell you, Ruthellen was tough as nails. No-nonsense in and out of the showring, with an alternately wry and sharp sense of humor. She was never one to pull punches or mince words. This served her in every aspect of her life. When first faced with a cancer diagnosis, she just plowed on. Her son says: “She was the picture of human defiance until the end. Just like she lived Ruthellen died surrounded by loved ones, and will be mourned by a legion of friends, competitors, and admirers

No services are to be held at this time. Cremation services provided by Hopler & Eschbach Funeral Home.  

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