Ruth Marie Thomas, born in Allerton on May 24, 1940, peacefully departed this world on July 11, 2026, leaving behind a legacy as beautiful and abundant as her beloved garden. She was one of nine children born to the late Ralph and Ida Smith.

For over 46 wonderful years, Ruth was married to the love of her life, James Thomas, of Indianola. Together, they made their home and raised their family primarily in Georgetown, building a lifetime of beautiful memories.

Ruth was a woman of fierce loves and incredible talents. She was a highly skilled seamstress who routinely saved the day, always happy to swoop in for last-minute alterations or mend whatever needed fixing. She loved her husband, her massive, bustling family, the feel of dirt between her fingers, and the thrill of watching things grow.

Above all, Ruth loved animals. She was a passionate protector of cats and dogs alike, managing a colony of neighborhood felines and constantly opening her heart and home to fosters in need. While she was a gentle friend to every creature, she held a notoriously soft spot for dogs, especially the wonderfully loud, delightfully yappy ones.

She was a friend to almost every creature that crossed her path. Except ground squirrels. Ruth hated ground squirrels.

Ruth’s immense heart, grace, and sharp wit will be deeply missed by her devoted husband, James Thomas; her surviving children: Carl David Lewis (Deborah), Teresa Davis (Tim), Phyllis Lomax (Eric), Tammy Howard (Doug), and Jimmy Thomas (Sabrina); and her two brothers, Tom Smith and William Smith, both of Georgetown.

She is also survived by 14 grandchildren: David Lewis, Jason Lewis, Erin Davis, Travis Davis, Joshua Trimble, Lauren Meyers, Logan Meyers, Amber Lomax, Ashley Baer, Drew Lomax, Ryan Howard, Dylan Howard, Shelby Thomas, and Lynze Kinderman; as well as 24 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

As our hearts are heavy, we take comfort in knowing she has been joyfully reunited with her parents, her six siblings who went before her, her beloved daughter Tonjia Meyers (survived by husband David), and her two precious grandsons, Joseph Lewis and Elijah Davis.

While she is undoubtedly resting in peace, the local ground squirrel population of Georgetown is arguably resting much easier today, knowing the undisputed queen of the backyard has moved on to higher ground. We can only assume she is currently lecturing the angels on proper perimeter defense.

A celebration of Ruth’s life will be held July 16th at Vermilion Grove Friends Church in Ridge Farm, IL from 2-5 pm.

In lieu of flowers, Ruth would have likely asked that you plant something beautiful, support a local animal shelter, sew a button for someone in need, or aggressively shoo a rodent off your lawn in her honor.

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