Ruth Futrelle Thompson

This is a tribute to Ruth from a Vickrey cousin. Ruth was a wonderful person and was always to ready to tell or help me with my Vickrey research, for which I am very thankful. Without her help, I would still be searching. Ruth was also a great genealogist and I well remember her work with the Guilford County Genealgogical Society. She will be missed.

I was so nice to have been able to spend time with your mom last January when my father (Henry Smith) was buried in Greensboro. She ment so very much to my parents and was such a sweet and feisty lady.

Melinda, Martha, and Betsy,

You are in our thoughts this day, and may God be with you.

Robert, Charlot, Marie, Bob, Nora, Nieces & Nephews

Martha, Betsy, and Melinda, we are very saddened to learn about the death of your mother, for she was a special person in the life of our family during and after the time your father was Pastor at Bessemer Methodist Church. Your mom even wrote a poem which she presented to us at the time of our wedding. She had such a tremendous talent for expressing herself that was enjoyed by so many people over the years.God bless all of you during your time of sorrow.



Anne & C.V. Lowdermilk

Ruth goes back a long way with my family. She and my mother were best friends (as well as distant cousins) through their school days, and they maintained their friendship for over 60 years, even though their lives took very different paths. When my parents married Ruth was quite distressed that my mother couldn't afford a formal wedding gown and planned to be married in a suit. Ruth came to the rescue, brought her own wedding gown out of storage for my mother to use, helped Mother sew her trousseau, and even played the organ for the ceremony. When I was born Ruth wrote Mother letters of encouragement (as a veteran in the mothering business) and wanted to know all the details about me. When Ruth started her interest in genealogy she recruited Mother to help on her part of the family. I got interested myself, and that interest has led to lifelong hobby for me--and also indirectly helped me meet my husband of 22 years, since I met him doing family history. When Tom and I married Walter performed the ceremony while Ruth worried about details such as whether our Guilford County marriage license would be good at my uncle's house. Since the Randolph County line is the boundary of his back yard, she was most concerned that we were actually standing in Guilford County when Walter married us.

Ruth will be missed by those of us left behind, but we can take comfort in the fact that she had a long and happy life.

The members and friends from Central Terrace United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem send their sympathy and love to the family. Her memory here is great, especially for the years 1964-1969 that she and Walter served as pastor.