Ruth Loomis

1937 - 2025

Ruth Fanton Loomis, 87, of Flagstaff, Arizona passed away peacefully in her home on July 13th, 2025. She will be remembered always with love.
Ruth was born December 1st, 1937 in Queens, New York to Ruth and Walter Fanton. She graduated from Andrew Jackson High School and began studies at Queens College in New York City before marriage and family took her on an adventure ultimately bringing her to Flagstaff in 1968. Ruth later earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mathematics at Northern Arizona University. Degrees in hand, she went to work for the USGS Astrogeology Research Program. There she worked as a computer programmer for the program's founder Dr. Eugene Shoemaker.
Ruth was known to many in Flagstaff as the "African Violet Queen". She grew thousands of beautiful plants that she would offer for sale at Mother's Day. She donated hundreds of her violets to be given to patients at the Flagstaff Medical Center. Ruth also had a love for the game of Bridge, playing the piano and singing.
Ruth is survived by her brother Wayne Fanton, her five children: Paul Wolfe, Sandey Wolfe, Chris Wolfe, Linda (Wolfe) Backus and Susan (Wolfe) Burnett, her ten grandchildren and six great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her dear and beloved husband Will Loomis, her parents and brother Walter Fanton, and her friend and father of her children, Edward Wolfe.
A celebration of Ruth's life will be held on September 27th, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at the Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 510 N. Leroux Street, Flagstaff.