Ruth McCraw (Arness) Anderson, a lifelong educator and champion of the arts, passed away peacefully at her home in London, Ontario on February 16, 2026, at the age of 95, in the company of her family.
Born in Petersburg, Virginia, on August 30, 1930, to Allan Steindorf Arness and Katherine Ellison Thorne, Ruth’s life was a journey of intellectual curiosity, discovery and grace. A proud alumna of Brown University, she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1952 with a degree in the Arts and Humanities—a passion she would share with countless students over the following decades.
After moving to Vancouver, B.C. in 1954 and later settling in London in 1963 with her then-husband, Alexander Robinson Anderson (a Professor at Western University), Ruth became a staple of the local academic and arts communities. She taught English at Fanshawe College for many years, with a particular focus on the needs of New Canadians, and furthered her own education at the Western University School of Library Science. She founded the “Ruth Anderson Gallery,” an important retail outlet for local and other artists, initially in a downtown location and subsequently based in her home. Continuing late into her life, she served as a skilled and dedicated tutor to international and Canadian students of diverse ages and backgrounds. She greatly enjoyed multiple visits to Europe with family members over the years and occasional theatre outings to Stratford, Ontario.
Ruth was predeceased by her parents and by two siblings, John Allan Arness and Katherine Wolfe. Her legacy lives on through her children, Robert Anderson (Ruth), Katherine Crosthwaite (Peter), John (“Jack”) Anderson, and Eleanor Elie (Marc); her surviving brother, Frank Forest Arness; her six grandchildren: Stephen, Thomas, Harry, Krystle, Jazmine, and Asher; and her great-grandson, Isaiah.
An interment-blessing for Ruth will take place in the spring of this year in London, in the presence of family members. A celebration of her life will be held later in the year in Charlottesville, Virginia.