William Jennings Ruffing Jr.

Death Notice- William Jennings Ruffing, Jr.

Memorial Services for William Jennings Ruffing, Jr., will be Monday, March 24, 2008, at 3 p.m. at St. George's Episcopal Church in Lusk, with Father Cliff Moore officiating. Mr. Ruffing passed away Mar. 9, 2008, in Medford, Ore. A full obituary will follow at a later date. Pier Funeral Home in Lusk is in charge of arrangements.

The Lusk Herald
March 19, 2008
William Jennings Ruffing, Jr.

A memorial service for William Jennings Ruffing Jr. will be held at St. George's Episcopal Church in Lusk on March 24, 2008 at 3 p.m. Jennings, 56, passed away March 9, 2008 at his home in Medford, Ore. after a short courageous battle with cancer.

He was born on June 28, 1951, in Lusk, to William Jennings and Bess (Anstice) Ruffing. He grew up loving the out-of-doors, and by his early teens would take off for a few days with a friend and live entirely "off the land", cooking in a makeshift campsite the rabbits and fish they caught. He was very popular in the Lusk School system, graduating high school in 1969. He was active in the Boy Scouts and his church, serving as an altar boy for over 12 years.

As a young adult he attended the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo. and in 1973 he received a B.S. degree in Special Education. After a year of teaching, he joined the Navy and spent four years as the Enlisted Supervisor of Pediatrics at the San Diego Naval Hospital. He married Betsy Saxton Nov. 22, 1980. They later divorced. He worked as an electrician for his father and as a volunteer firefighter for Lusk from May 1978 to Dec. 1982.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wyoming. He married Rebecca (Becky) Bereman on Oct. 22, 1983 in Dubois. At the time of his death he was Principle Engineer and Founder of Jennings Ruffing Electrical Engineering, Inc. in Medford, Ore. He successfully completed hundreds of electrical engineering projects and was certified in design, construction, and consulting in Washington, Oregon, and California. He had earned a reputation for developing innovative solutions for his clients and delivering quality electrical design products responsive to their needs.

He served as an elected official on the Medford Planning Commission for five years and was recently recognized by the Mayor for his years of service, attending over 150 commission, subcommittee and study meetings.

Jennings loved flying, and owned his own plane for several years. He also enjoyed camping, fishing, riding his motorcycle, gardening (especially roses) and had a special fondness for his beloved dogs.

He was very active in his church his whole life. Many may not have known his extraordinary generous spirit, his gifts of time, love, and patience to his friends, employees and to total strangers. Three or four times a year in the winter months, he and Becky would cook a large pot of soup, buy used coats, socks, gloves, and hats, and distribute them to the homeless under the bridge on Barnett Road in Medford.

He is survived by his wife of Medford; his mother and his brother John of Lusk; his sisters, Mary Ogle and her husband Russell of Texas, and Judy Sherer of Aurora, Colo.; brother-in-law Chuck Smith of Lusk; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father on Apr. 6, 2004; his sister Pat on May 26, 2006; and one niece and one nephew. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. George's Episcopal Church in Lusk, or any program that supports the poor or the homeless.

Pier Funeral Home in Lusk is in charge of arrangements

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