Annie Ruth Payne

A Mass of Christian Burial honoring the life of Annie "Ruth" Payne, 86, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, June 7, 2021 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 204 Patton Ave., Shreveport, Louisiana, with the Rev. Matthew T. Long presiding. Burial will follow at Centuries Memorial Park, 8801 Mansfield Rd. Visitation will take place from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall Street, with the Rosary immediately afterward. Ruth was born October 24, 1934 and passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 19, 2021 after a short illness. Ruth was born in Ebarb, Louisiana and was a long-time resident of Shreveport and a homemaker. She was valedictorian of her Ebarb High School class. As a young woman, Ruth worked at the Salley Grocer Company and later at The Shreveport Times/Newspaper Production Company where she met her future husband, William E. Payne, III. Ed and Ruth were married for 42 years before Ed passed away in 2004. The family enjoyed weekends in the summer at their camp at Lake Bistineau and yearly vacations to the beach. Ruth was active in her children's activities, helping at their schools as room mother, serving as a Girl Scout leader and was a cheerleader for all their activities and sports as well as those of her grandchildren as they came along. She loved sewing and made many dresses and Halloween costumes over the years. Ruth was known for her wonderful cooking, especially her birthday cakes, chocolate chip cookies, meatballs, and lasagna, and her family always looked forward to a good meal at her house. Ruth was a devout Catholic and an active member of St. Joseph Catholic Church for most of her life. She loved her church and the Rosary! At St. Joseph, Ruth was a long-time member of the Altar Society serving as Treasurer and then President, the Catholic Women's League and the exercise group. She was happy to help her church in any way, whether it was decorating the church for holidays or stuffing inserts into the church's bulletin. For many years, she sewed baptismal bibs given to all children baptized at St. Joseph. In 1998, Ruth was bestowed with the Diocesan Medal for her faithful service to her church. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband; mother, Mary M. Ebarb; three brothers; and her in-laws, William E. Payne, Jr., and Lura Mae Traylor Payne. She is survived by her children, Donald E. Brown and wife Jo of Duncanville, Texas; Pam Mitchell and husband Curt; Karen Davis; and Cheryl A. Payne of Baton Rouge. She is also survived by her grandchildren whom she adored, Dalton Mitchell and wife Jessie, Payne Mitchell and wife Katrina of Baton Rouge, Christopher Davis and wife Jaclyn of Bossier City, Christian Mitchell, Anna Davis, Tucker Davis, Marci Buck of Duncanville, Texas, and Will Buck and wife Justi of Dallas, Texas; great- grandchildren, Ari Buck, Weslee Grace Buck, Sadee Mae Buck, Lyla Hall, Emerson Mercer-McCollister and Fielding Mitchell; sisters and brother, Rita McComic of Zwolle, Argerine Day of Shreveport and Joseph Ebarb of Garland, Texas; as well as several nieces and nephews. Her grandchildren will honor Ruth by serving as pallbearers. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at Willis-Knighton Pierremont Health Center 5th floor ICU, Christus Highland Medical Center, Cornerstone Hospital, Dr. Bharat Guthikonda, Dr. Eric Smith, Dr. George Byram, Dr. Himanshu Desai, Preferred Care at Home of Northwest Louisiana and Ruth's caretaker, Jennifer Story. The family also would like to thank the many friends who have been praying for Ruth. Memorial contributions may be made in Ruth's name to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 211 Atlantic Ave., Shreveport, LA 71105; Alzheimer's Services of the Capital Area, 3772 North Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70806; or to the charity of your choice.