Barbara Ruf
Barbara Butler Ruf, who balanced the roles of pastor’s wife, English professor, beloved mother and grandmother, died peacefully at home on February 18, 2015 in Collegedale, Tennessee. She was 92.
Born Sept. 4, 1922 in the Boston suburb of Somerville, MA to Fred Butler and Jessie (Muir), Dr. Ruf graduated from Atlantic Union College in 1944 with a B.A. in English. In 1946, she earned a Masters in English at Boston University and later that same year married Rolland Ruf, her partner in life for the next 68 years. She raised three sons and graciously served as pastor’s wife in multiple parishes from New York City to small towns such as Gainesville, GA and McMinnville, TN. In the churches she attended, she lead out in children and adult Sabbath schools and became one of the first women elders ordained in Collegedale. She earned a Ph.D in English from the University of Tennessee in 1974 and taught for 18 years at Southern Adventist University where she achieved the rank of Professor Emerita of English. Her retirement years were filled with travel, gardening and hiking in the Smokies. She volunteered at what is now the Samaritan Center in Ooltewah, the Hunter Museum of Art, and served as manuscript editor of “The Story of Southern College 1892-1992.”
She is survived by her husband, Pastor Rolland M. Ruf, of Collegedale, sons, Rolland (Tina) Ruf Jr. of Reading, PA; Warren (Jane) Ruf of New Haven, CT; Stephen (Jodi) Ruf of Collegedale. Grandchildren Adam Ruf of Athens, GA, Rebecca Ruf of Waynesville, NC, Sarah Ruf, of Phoenix, AZ, and Amanda Ruf of Collegedale.
A memorial service is scheduled for Friday, Mar. 13, at the Collegedale SDA Church. Visitation with family will be from 3-4 p.m., followed by the service at 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests tributes to the Collegedale Church Worthy Student Fund or Adventist Frontier Missions.
Visit www.heritagefh.com to share words of comfort to the family.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road.
Barbara Ruf