Ruth Ann Bridges Ayers, of Gorham, Maine, passed away surrounded by family on November 4th, 2026 at the age of 95.

Ruth Ann was born on July 22, 1931 in Newfield, Maine, the oldest of six children of Cecil F. and Ellen L. Hannaford Bridges.

Ruth Ann lived in Newfield in the house where she was born, attending local schools, until she finished 8th grade, when her family moved to Gorham, Maine. She graduated from Gorham High School and attended the University of Maine at Orono. She had always been called Ruth Ann until her new friends at the University of Maine decided Ruth was a long enough name to remember.

At the University of Maine she was an honor student and member of honorary societies Phi Kappa Phi, Neai Mathetai, and Phi Beta Kappa. While there, she lived in a cooperative dorm called The Elms where they took turns preparing communal meals and she made many lifelong friends.

On June 22, 1952 she married George H. Ayers, Jr. of Camden, whom she met on her first day of classes at University of Maine. She cherished their three children, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Ruth enjoyed reading and gardening, filling much of their backyard with perennials. After thirty years of research, Ruth wrote a nonfiction book titled Early Families of Newfield Maine, which was over 900 pages. She made good progress in writing a second book titled The History of Newfield, Maine but because of being involved in many other activities, then loss of her eyesight, that book was not completed.

Ruth was a life member of the Newfield Historical Society, serving as president for two years, then as corresponding secretary for many years, writing their newsletters. She also gave Newfield History talks at many public meetings. She was a board member of Willowbrook Museum in Newfield, and was active at Camp Mechuwana as a counselor and on the governing board.

While in Newfield she joined the Methodist Church, transferring her membership to Gorham when her family moved there. She was a Sunday School teacher, board member, and officer for the United Methodist Women, serving as treasurer for many years. She was a member of the Handbell choir at the School Street United Methodist Church, which later moved to Cressey Road. For many years she was chair of the huge rummage sales held at the church twice a year. She baked many rolls for church suppers, and made tea rings for the church Christmas fairs. She was even briefly a waitress who spilled a bowl of soup on someone’s lap.

Ruth was a member of the Cosmopolitan Club, the Gorham Historical Society and the Maine Historical Society.

Ruth Ann wrote the above obituary herself. Her family would like to add that her love of Newfield included time with her husband George, family and friends spent at their little cabin in the woods where they would observe nature from their screened in porch, or walk down to the brook where they kept a little green rowboat.

She made an enormous difference in her community through her volunteerism, and her efficiency and level of organization frequently magnified her impact. A friend once wrote that when she stepped down from leading a local service organization it took nine people to replace her.

An additional love of Ruth’s was reading, and one of her former volunteer roles was creating recordings of herself reading books for community members whose eyesight had deteriorated. As she lost her own sight in later years, she enjoyed listening to books from the Maine State Library’s digital library.

She is survived by her daughter Pamela Damon and husband Duane of Gorham, son Mark Ayers and wife Cindy of Scarborough, son John Ayers and wife Kim of Ashford, Connecticut, grandchildren Alan Damon and wife Christy, Kelly Caiazzo and husband Greg, Elizabeth Damon Mathis and husband Nick, Geoff Ayers, Ryan Ayers, Julianne Ayers, Jacob Ayers, Sarah Ayers and Rachel Ayers, and great-grandchildren Will Caiazzo, Andrew Caiazzo, Eleanor Damon, Fiona Damon, George Damon, Dashiell Mathis, and Hawthorne Mathis. In addition, she leaves behind a large and supportive extended family including her siblings Deborah Desautel and Sherb Bridges.

A graveside committal service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 14th at Oak Hill South Cemetery, Hosmer Pond Road, Camden, Maine, followed by refreshments at Union Hall, 24 Central Street, Rockport, Maine.

Donations may be made in Ruth’s name to The Newfield Historical Society or the Gorham Food Pantry.

The Newfield Historical Society accepts donations using Paypal, Venmo or Zelle to “Historical Society of Newfield, Maine Inc.” or via check to: Historical Society of Newfield, ME

P.O. Box 82, Newfield, Maine 04056.

The Gorham Food Pantry accepts online donations at: https://gorhamfoodpantry.org/donate.html

Checks may be mailed to: Gorham Food Pantry, P.O. Box 547, Gorham, ME 04038