Carol Schiltneck

With much sadness, Carol “Erika” Schiltneck passed away quietly on Tuesday, March 9, 2020 at the age of 91. Erika grew up in Spring Valley, CA and settled in Prescott in 1988 after her marriage to Richard Schiltneck. She loved Prescott and was an active member of the Elks Opera House Guild, Yavapai Humane Society and Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association. She loved sailing and traveled extensively with her husband, before his death in 2003.   Erika loved getting dressed up in evening attire for her favorite charities, collected a large variety of decorative hats for every event and found joy accumulating vintage sailing ship and Indian memorabilia. Erika was an active advanced class ham radio operator with the Amateur Radio Council of Arizona (ARCA). She could be heard most days on the ‘Knobby Knee Network’ or working at radio license testing session; she wanted everyone to just be a ham. Her call sign was KI7JZ and is now Silent Key.  Erika was a Chemist and Educator, earning a PhD in Education and later a teacher for 30 years. Erika was a fighter; at the young age of 5, Erika was diagnosed with Polio, later in life she survived breast, ovarian and other cancers, including heart disease which required a pacemaker. None of these obstacles stopped her active participation in the organizations that she sponsored and donated her time and money generously. Her first loves were her basset hounds, Samantha and Sadie, who were fostered to a good family through a Yavapai Humane Society program when Erika entered long term care in 2017.   Erika is remembered as always happy, friendly, giving and generous. This great lady will be sorely missed by her friends and her precious bassets. No services are planned. Arrangements entrusted to Ruffner-Wakelin Funeral Homes. Please visit www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign the online guestbook and share a memory with the family.