Ruth Paine, R.I.P. (1932 - 2025)

From left to right: Thomas Mallon, Fred Litwin, Ruth Paine, Matt Kordelski (behind Ruth) and Frank Badalson.at the Ruth Paine house in Irving.

It was very sad news to hear that Ruth Paine died last Sunday at the age of 92, just a few days shy of her 93rd birthday.

She was a very fine woman who was only guilty of being a good samaritan. Ruth took in Marina Oswald and helped raise her two children. It was a very good situation for both women -- Ruth got Russian language lessons, and Marina got some needed help.

Conspiracy theorists unfortunately paint Ruth Paine as some sort of CIA asset. These baseless accusations are an incredible embarrassment -- this is yet another case of a good person besmirched by the conspiracy industry.

Her Wikipedia page has this paragraph:

Paine has expressed her belief in the official conclusion that Oswald acted alone and has denied conspiracy theorists' suggestions to connect her and Michael to their relatives and ancestors holding important government and business positions, such as her sister, Sylvia Hyde Hoke, being listed as an employee of CIA.

It's all complete nonsense. Who cares if her sister worked for the CIA?

Tracy Parnell has done some excellent work in debunking the allegations about Ruth Paine.

Greg Doudna has written a nice essay on Ruth Paine's work with ProNica in Nicaragua.

David Von Pein has also defended Ruth Paine.

I was very fortunate in November 2023 to hang out with Ruth and others at our annual get together in Dallas. It was the first time for her son Chris to see all the sights in Dallas, and Ruth had a great time leading the tour. She was in terrific shape and in very good spirits. It was an uplifting experience for all of us.

Ruth at the Sixth Floor Museum with Stephen Fagin leading the group. Next to Ruth is her son Chris. On the right are Bill Brown and Ed Murray.

Here is the gang at a dinner in Dallas.

On the far right is her son Chris. Others in the top row are Mark Wright, Bill Brown, Freda Dillard, Scott Maudsley, David Morley and myself. On the bottom row are Ed Murray, Joe Alesi, Frank Badalson, Ruth, Matt Kordelski and Les Parson.

And here we all are at Ruth's talk at the Irving Arts Center.

One day I might write a book about the many victims of the conspiracy industry -- Ruth Paine, Clay Shaw, David Ferrie, Kerry Thornley, J.D. Tippit, Larry Crafard, Edgar Eugene Bradley, Breck Wall, Carlos Bringuier, Carlos Quiroga, Louis Bloomfield, Dr. George Burkley, Allen Dulles, E. Howard Hunt, Sergio Arcacha Smith, Howard Brennan, Perry Russo, George Mantello, Roger Craig, and Dean Andrews.

Let me know if I have left anybody off the list.

R.I.P., Ruth Paine.

Update

This photo was taken after a talk Ruth gave at the Sixth Floor Museum in November 2019.

Previous Relevant Blog Posts

A Question for Max Good from Burt Griffin

Here is a letter from Burt Griffin, counsel for the Warren Commission, to Max Good, producer of a film about Ruth Paine.

The CIA's Dinner in Dallas

Guess who sponsored our dinner in Dallas?