Ruth Mead

Ruth Mead passed away unexpectedly on December 13, 2025, at the age of 71. She lived a life marked by gentleness, quiet faith, and deep love for those around her.

Born in Dallas, Texas in 1954, Ruth was the adored youngest of four children and affectionately nicknamed "Cricket." After the early loss of both her father in 1964 and her mother in 1969, she and her sisters attended St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio as boarding students. These formative years shaped her resilience and kindness. Following her graduation in 1973, Ruth attended Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Art. It was there that she formed lifelong friendships and formed her deep faith through Hill Country Faith Ministries Church. During this time, she loved playing guitar, singing worship music, and joyfully practicing her Spanish with young children.

After graduating, Ruth returned to Dallas to continue her studies at Christ For the Nations, where she used her degree in Child Evangelism and worked closely with children. She later purchased her first home in Duncanville, where she worked at the local library and cultivated her love of reading, crocheting, and weaving. Over the next fifty years, Ruth crocheted countless lap blankets for friends, family, and even strangers, gifts that remain treasured reminders of her patience, creativity, and love.

Ruth was an active member of Shady Grove Church and later Gateway Church in Grand Prairie, where she continued to nurture friendships and celebrate her faith. She delighted in travel and participated in several mission trips, including journeys to El Salvador, Israel, and Mexico. Children were naturally drawn to her gentle spirit and warm smile. She also found joy in the open roads of Texas, often taking spontaneous drives to visit friends or admire the spectacular bluebonnets in South Texas. A devoted animal lover, Ruth adored her kitties, especially her beloved Pumpkin.

Throughout her life, Ruth enjoyed gatherings with the Hunters and many others in Texas who "adopted" her into their families, inviting her to stay during vacations and holidays. There she delighted in Scrabble games, porch-side coffee, watching children play, singing together, or riding golf carts along river trails during holidays and vacations.

Despite enduring significant health challenges, Ruth remained positive and uncomplaining. Her beloved family doctor in Dallas once remarked that she was "the living example of human resilience," a description that captured her spirit well. She met each day with patience, trust, and love. In 2023, Ruth's sister Gail Hunter of Marshfield invited her to move closer, and Ruth soon settled into her own apartment at the Cushing Residence in Hanover. There, she was building new friendships and embracing life in New England. She continued to treasure visits with friends, especially lunch outings to Olive Garden, and, just this past October, returned to Dallas to stay with her closest college friend and reunite with many lifelong friends.

Ruth cherished her family and the many people she loved as family: her parents, Eugene and Miriam Mead of Dallas; her brother, Mike Mead of Thailand, who predeceased her in 1975; her sister, Mimi Merrell and her children Bayne and Shane of Texas; her sister and brother-in-law Gail and Jeremy Hunter of Marshfield and their late children Anjuli and Drew; her "adopted" great-nieces Vayda and Sienna Seoane; and the countless friends who touched her life over her 71 years. She will be deeply missed and forever loved.

Throughout her life, Ruth served in many roles: caretaker, teacher, loyal friend, thoughtful listener, and faithful servant of God. Her faith sustained her through life's journey, and she often spoke of being ready when her time came, trusting she would be going home to her Heavenly Father.

A celebration of Ruth's life will be held at Sanctuary South Shore in Marshfield at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2026, followed by a gathering in the church hall. The service will be streamed for those unable to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made or volunteer service given to a local charity in Ruth's memory.