Martha Ruth Ratliff Payne, 81, went home to be with the Lord November 22, 2019. She Was was born in Mountain Springs, Texas to Thomas E. And Mary Ellen Jones Ratliff. She married Matthew Ray "Unk" Payne of Argyle, Texas January 24, 1955 at her mother's home in Denton.

They were married for 59 years and had 4 children Tommy (Gloria) Payne of Sunset, Texas, Ruthie (Randy) Cross of Denton, Texas, Lynn Payne of Farmers Branch, Texas, and Matt (Amy) Payne of Denton, Texas. She has 6 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She is survived by 2 sisters Pearl Owens of Denton, Clara George Bettafuco of Euless, Texas and 1 brother Earl (Janice) Ratliff of Livingston, Texas. She is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Joan Stubblefield, Youvonne Matzinger, Mary Tom Ralls.

Ruth never knew a stranger and would start up a conversation with anyone anywhere anytime, weather at the grocery store, the bank or just shopping around town.

She attended the one room school house at Mountains Springs School. When the school closed her and the other siblings attended school at Valley View. She played basketball. With her father being diagnosed with Leukemia the family sold the family farms and moved to Denton Texas. This was closer to the treatment center in Dallas. Ruth attended high school at Denton High.

In caring for her aging aunts as a young girl she always wanted to be a nurse and Ruth received her LVN in 1976. She worked at Flow Hospital on the medical and surgical floors as medication nurse for many years. She finished her nursing career at the Student Health Center at the University of North Texas in the Allergy Clinic and the GYN Clinic and retired in 2000.

Ray and Ruth loved traveling to the National parks around the country. Mesa Verde, Colorado, Grand Canyon, Four Corners, Yellowstone, Nachez Trace and beyond.

She became a Christian at a young age girl. She was a member of Towne North Baptist Church in Denton Texas.

The family would like to thank all of the nurses, aids and staff at Senior Care and Vintage Alzheimer's unit that took care of her and Ray for the past years making sure that we're comfortable and happy.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Friday November 29, 2019 at Mulkey-Bowles-Montgomery Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Elijah Hosse officiating. Burial will follow in the New Hope Cemetery in Mountain springs, TX. A visitation will take place on Tuesday evening Nov. 26, from 6-8 pm at the funeral home.