Ruth Henderson, the wife of the late composer Skitch Henderson, died at her home on the Hunt Hill Farm property in Northville Tuesday night.
Staff at Henderson’s farm confirmed Wednesday morning that she died from cardiac arrest.
Henderson, who had fame as a fashion model, started The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm with friend Louise King in 1972.
“Ruth has been a friend and a mentor to me for decades,” said Liba Furhman, executive director of The Hunt Hill Farm Trust. “We were mutually supportive of each other.”
“Ruth’s energy, her perseverance, and dedication to open space preservation is a testament to her life,” Furhman continued.
Henderson was president of the New York Pops at the time of her death, still attending board meetings into her 80s.