of Ann Arbor MI, our loving and nurturing mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2025 at the Chelsea Retirement Community (Chelsea, MI) at the age of 95 years. Ruth was born to James A and Alice Barton Payne on January 16, 1930 in Newburgh, NY, and grew up in nearby Highland Mills, NY. Following High School, she graduated from St Luke’s Nursing School in New York City in 1950. After two years of hospital nursing, she left the city for Denver, CO eventually moving to Ann Arbor, Michigan to work at the Women’s Hospital at the University of Michigan (1955).
She met a young resident physician, George R Thompson, MD and within a year they were wed (1957). They lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan to raise their family, then in their late years resided at the Chelsea Retirement Community. Ruth was our stay-at-home mom, shuttling us to this and that, helping with homework, raising us to be productive adults, all the while modeling a quiet faith and teaching us how to interact in the world with grace. She was active in the United Methodist Women at the Calvary UMC for much of her life, International Neighbors (assisting spouses of international students), and made the finest potato salad ever served at the church potluck dinners. She was also an expert pie chef and was fascinated by Lady Slippers.
She was preceded in death by her parents James A and Alice Barton Payne, sister and brother-in-law Janice and Walter Stanfield (Highland Mills, NY), husband George R Thompson, MD, daughter Ann, and daughter-in-law Margaret E Thompson, MD. She is survived by her children David Thompson, MD (Grand Rapids, MI), Nancy Roberts (Mark) (Dexter, MI), Susan Johnson (Peter) (Whitmore Lake), niece Melanie Wagner (Mark) (Manassas, VA), nephews Walter “Bucky” Stanfield and Stephen Stanfield (Highland Mills, NY); grandchildren Amy Rowe (Tanner), Daniel Roberts (Alison), Stephanie Scheets (Jonathan) who reside in the Ann Arbor, MI area, Margaret Sarah Thompson (Grand Rapids, MI), and four great-grandchildren: Maverick, Calvin, and Beckett Rowe, and Frederick Roberts. The family wishes to thank the staff of Glazier Commons for the heart-felt care she received while in the Assisted Living complex, and Arbor Hospice.
A Memorial Service will take place at Dancey House (at CRC), 805 W Middle St, Chelsea, MI, in the theatre at 2:00pm Friday November 21, 2025, with the family receiving visitors from 1:00— 2:00pm at the theatre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UMRC—Porter Hills Foundation, 805 W Middle St, Chelsea MI 48118, or The Salvation Army, 100 Arbana Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48103.
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