The Waldron Story...Continued

Lieutenant Colonel Karen A. (Nieman) Rupp graduated from Waldron High School in 2000. She was Chief of Aerospace Medicine at the 354th Medical Group, 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson Air Force Base (AFB), Alaska. There, Lt. Col. Rupp was charged with overseeing Aerospace Medicine Operations along with Public Health and Occupational Medicine. Prior to this assignment, she was the Chief of Aerospace Medicine at Shaw AFB, South Carolina.

Lt. Col. Rupp received her commission in 2004 with a Health Professions Scholarship to study medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. She received her Doctor of Medicine in 2009 and completed a transitional internship at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois. She was awarded her Flight Surgeon wings in 2010 and served as a staff physician at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Lt. Col. Rupp then received her Master’s in Public Health at Wright State University and completed residencies in Aerospace Medicine and Family Medicine. Karen was double-board certified in Family Medicine and Aerospace Medicine. She was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and had authored several medical publications. She was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and Air Force Commendation Medal.

Lt. Col. Rupp gave countless hours to the community.  She was Parish Council President at her church as well as a Girl Scout volunteer and co-leader. She lead scouts of all ages through patches, camping, science projects, and on excursions. She was preparing to become a Squadron Commander in the summer of 2024.

Karen married Joseph Rupp in 2011 and is mother to Margaret, George, Elizabeth, Mary, and Thomas.

Edith Jones was a 1931 graduate of Waldron High School. She studied mathematics and physics at Purdue University, earning a bachelor of science degree in 1935. She won the Flora Roberts Medal as outstanding senior woman in her graduating class at Purdue. Later, she earned a Ph.D.  in astronomy from Radcliffe College in 1941. Edith taught astronomy, mathematics, and geology for more than 40 years, 
most of which was spent at William Paterson College from 1959 to 1983. She published a textbook based on her teachings titled Elementary Concepts of Sets (1959) and gave an address at the meeting of 
the Science-Mathematics Society of New Jersey in 1960.

Edith held a grant from the National Science Foundation from 1973-1975 for research at Kitt Peak National Observatory and traveled to Chile three times to work with NASA. In 1980 she was awarded a grant to fund work at the Harvard College Observatory, where she studied eclipses of binary stars. Today, the American Astronomical Society presents an Edith J. Woodward Award named in her memory. In addition to her work in astronomy, Edith was active in the League of Women Voters and was a
delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972. Edith’s pursuit of lifelong learning and dedication to educating others makes her a role model to many.