Ruth Ann Paulson

ruth paulson

August 9, 1948 ~ October 11, 2024

Born in: Warren, Pennsylvania
Resided in: Fletcher, North Carolina

Ruth Ann Paulson, 76, of Fletcher, passed away October 11, 2024 at her residence.
 
She was born in Warren, PA to the late Robert and Hazel Sult Sigworth and grew up in North Chili, NY. After graduating from Churchville-Chili high school in 1966, Ruth attended Roberts Wesleyan College for one year, before studying at Tobe-Coburn School for Fashion Careers in New York City. She married her high school sweetheart Bruce Cowie in 1970 and they moved to California shortly thereafter. After Bruce passed away in a helicopter accident in 1977, Ruth moved to North Carolina and became a court reporter in 1978. She worked for the State of North Carolina as a court reporter for her entire career. Ruth married Terry Paulson in 1990 and their son Matthew was born in 1993.
 
She started playing the piano as a young child and served as a pianist at Arden Presbyterian Church for many years. A devoted and loving mother and grandmother, Ruth also enjoyed cooking, Hallmark movies and spending time with her dogs.
 
In addition to her parents and her first husband, Ruth was also preceded in death by her stepdaughter, Lindsay Paulson and numerous aunts and uncles.
 
Ruth is survived by her son Matthew Paulson (his wife Amy); grandson Jacob Paulson; brother Robert Sigworth (his wife Andrea); nieces Laura and Elizabeth Sigworth; half-sister Gloria Sigworth; former spouse Terry Paulson Sr., stepchildren Terry Paulson Jr. and Evan Paulson (his wife Gracie) along with her two dogs, Amber and Trixie.
 
A Funeral Service to celebrate her life will be held starting at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 18 in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden with burial to follow at Shepherd Memorial Park. The funeral will be streamed live starting at 10:50 AM by clicking the box directly below the obituary text. Her family will greet friends at the funeral home on Thursday evening from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Compassion International would be most welcome.

Services

Funeral Service: October 18, 2024 11:00 am

Room: Chapel

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704

(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com

Visitation: October 17, 2024 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Room: Chapel

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704

(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com

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Memories Timeline

Guestbook

  1. Just before she started her last treatment for her cancer, Ruth brought me a delicious meal because I had just come home after a mastectomy. What a servant’s (of Christ’s) heart!!!!! Praise the LORD. I pray that she has already heard that precious “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”
    Ruth Thomas Ephesians 1: 3-9

  2. Ruth was my friend for over half a century. We emailed each other every day for over 40 years. I will miss her until we meet again.

  3. I also will miss Ruth terribly. She will always be remembered as one of the most gifted and giving person. Her love for others was sacrificial. And, don’t get me started on how much she loved her dogs!

  4. I worked with Ruth for many years in the Buncombe County Courts. She was the long time Court Reporter for the Civil Superior Division. I saw her not long ago, she was smiling and in good spirits, we laughed about a couple of memories from work days. My condolences to her family, friends, and her pets…may all be comforted in her memory.. God Speed to you Ruth ..

  5. Ruth was an almost lifetime friend. We loved each other as sisters..such fun and encouraging in God’s ways. Blessings on her family.

  6. Ruthie was a faithful part of our church youth group and musical group in high school and early college. Although our connection was years ago, her life was a blessing. I’ll be praying for her family.

  7. What a lovely and kind friend! She was a great pianist. Ruth was so kind and sweet to everyone! She will be missed .
    Love you Ruth!

  8. “I wrote your name in the sand, but the waves washed it away. I wrote your name in the sky, but the wind blew it away. So, I wrote your name in my heart, and that’s where it will stay, always.” Jessica Bland. Love and prayers, Melody, Mary and Christy

  9. God has chosen Ruth’s talents for His heavenly choir; that the praise may begin in loud and joyful measure at such a time as this.
    We have been richly blessed through Ruth’s generous showering of love, and example of faithful living. Thank you Lord, for sharing Ruth with us. Her music was a heavenly inspiration.
    Candice and Ronnie Yount

  10. Even though I knew Ruth for only 4 years, she is someone I wanted to get more aquainted with, as soon as we met. No matter what kind of medical treatment she was going through or number of trips to the doctor, she would show up at our APC choir practices with a cheerful smile, ready to accompany us on the piano. She spoke openly about her health issues and ended her comments on a positive note. I admired her perseverence, courage, upbeat nature, and outward faith in God. She will be very much missed.

  11. Ruth was my roommate our freshman year at Roberts Wesleyan. What a joyful, fun and witty person she was. We have kept in touch all these years and she will be sorely missed. She loved that grandbaby!!!

  12. Talked to Ruth on the phone on her birthday a couple of years ago. She emailed me a photo of her and Bruce. You can read more about them in the book “One-Game Wonder.” She was a beautiful woman.
    Grace, rj

  13. I have known Ruth since 1st grade when her Mom was my 1st grade teacher, and Ruth came at the end of the school day to visit her Mom . She lived on Orchard Street across the street from Roberts Wesleyan University. Ruth was very active in music and was the accompanist for chorus, and vocal ensembles at Churchville-Chili High School. She had boundless energy, inner strength, confidence, humor, twirled a baton and tossed it high in the air, and played piano so beautifully.

    Sep. 16, 2022 my sister Vivian and I traveled to Lake Lure, NC and Ruth met us at the Steak House for lunch. We laughed, reminisced our school years, heard about Matt and his family, and learned that she was a court steno typist as we ate a delicious lunch overlooking gorgeous Lake Lure that has now been filled sadly with trees from Hurricane Helene. Our visit was a day to remember and we are grateful that we had the opportunity to spend time together. Our Class of 1966 will miss Ruth as she was a beacon among us. The service today was a lovely tribute to Ruth. My sincere condolences to Matt, Amy, Jacob, Rob and your families. May God be with you in the days ahead. Love, Marilyn

  14. Ruthie was our pianist for many years when 6 of us sang together. When we went on a mission trip, she took her accordion. She was a good friend during school at Churchville Chili. She is missed.

  15. I am writing from far away, from Espoo in Finland. It’s now Saturday evening Oct 19th. This morning I received the sad news of Ruthie passing away. It has been a day of sadness and crying. I had the opportunity to spend as an Youth for Understanding exchange student in the Sigworth family years 1965 – 1966. Ruthie was my American sister and Robbie is my one and only brother, my American brother. Here in Finland I have two birth sisters. Ruth and I were born in 1948.
    I am so sorry for the loss of each one of you. Ruthie and I have been in contact mostly all of the passed years by letters, cards and mainly E-mail the last years. Staying in the home at Orchard Drive, North Chili, with the family, was the best year of my life, I have many heartfelt memories and photos of the time there. The year opened my eyes in life in many precious ways, I have thanked about that possibility during all the years so far lived. I loved mom Hazel and dad Bob and we wrote to one another until both of them had passed away. Today’s sudden news has shocked me, it’s so sad. Ruthie never wrote to me of her cancer or the treatments, I didn’t know at all, or any other problem she might have had. We wrote about her flying to Helsinki, Finland, in 2018. I very much waited for her to come to stay with me but then came Covid. It would have been her first trip abroad but I then understood that it would have meant many arrangements for her. The last times we saw each other was in 1984 in New York and 1988 at Niagara Falls during my travels.
    I am so sorry for your loss, the family and all her friends, everyone near her. You are in my thoughts and prayers. I send my heartfelt, warmest consolation. I sincerely thank Rob and Matt for informing me early this morning and Rob sending this link to yesterday’s ceremony. I have just seen it. I have Ruthie’s photo near and a candle burning.

  16. Such sad news of Ruth’s passing. Ruth was bubbly, with an effervescent smile and a superb pianist. She accompanied our many choral groups at Churchville Chili High School where we were classmates. We shared many stories when my sister Marilyn and I had lunch with her overlooking Lake Lure, North Carolina where the disasterous floods are right now. She lived a life of service to others using her talents. Her work as a Court Stenographer is admirable. Sincere sympathy to her family. She was so proud of Matt and loved her grandbaby.


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