Ruth Annette Newman

She was born on November 1, 1956, in Chillicothe, OH., to William R. Richardson Jr. and Freda (Richard) Smart.

Preceded by both of her parents, her brother Richard “Freddie” Smart, her sister Wanda (Curtis) Short, her husband Vernon “Brandon” Hymes, and her fur babies, Missy and Shakey.

Ruthie is survived by her sisters Kathleen (Bruce) Shaw of Calgary, Canada and Lisa (William) Barnes of Floral City, FL, and “Her Kids,” Clark (Dena) Short, Kimberly (Robert) Taylor, Christina (Joshua) Hinty, Brandon C. Short, Benjamin A. Stubbs, Jayden (Elizabeth) Shaw, Bradford (Hannah) Shaw, Joseph W. Evans, Bret (Mariah) Taylor, Megan (Nicholas) Conrad, Tyler R. Hammond, Peyton and Amara Foster, and her lifelong best friend Rita Davis.

Ruthie always took care of her family and took great pride in cooking meals that brought everyone together, and loved to say, “If you feed them, they will come.”

Ruthie spent her entire life in the service of others, providing care to those of all ages and disabilities. She retired from Frontier Community Services in 2022.

Ruthie’s caring heart extended to animals as well as people. Ruthie was known for taking in stray cats and providing them with a loving home. She is survived by her fur babies, Phoebe, Smokey, Twizzler, Tater, and all the neighborhood strays who always knew where to find a warm bed and full belly.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 2pm - 4pm at The Christopher Inn in the Riverview Conference Room, 30 N Plaza Blvd, Chillicothe, OH 45601. Dinner will be provided after the service.

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