JoAnn Ruffin

Our mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt and friend, JoAnn Ruffin, 88 years old, was a long-time resident of Moses Lake, Wash. She passed away Nov. 17, 2024, at Columbia Crest Center in Moses Lake, Wash.  Her family was by her side at the time of her passing.  

Mom was born Dec. 8, 1936, in Wenatchee, Wash., at St. Anthony’s Hospital to Vivian and Tomas Jackson. She lived in Wenatchee and Cashmere until the family relocated to Ephrata, Wash. In 1954, she graduated from Ephrata High School.  

She worked as a caregiver until she joined the Army on Dec. 7, 1955. She completed Basic Training at Anniston, Ala. In October 1956, she was stationed in Arlington, Va., in the Army Security Agency. She worked as a Teletype Operator, where she met Richard Ruffin. They were married Dec. 15, 1956. Mom chose to take an honorable discharge to be able to relocate with dad to Germany. Together, they had four children — Dave, Scott, Darla and Mike. 

Mom was a stay-at-home mom for many years. She worked at JC Penney’s as a sales and office clerk. Later, she worked for Nalley’s, American Potato Company and Hallmark Cards.  

She loved music. She always had her radio going day and night. She loved walking, dancing, bowling and watching her favorite teams — the Seattle Mariners and the Gonzaga Bulldogs. You could find her in the evenings playing Dominoes, Mexican Train or cards with her friends.  

Mom had recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. To say it was a shock was an understatement. During her care at Deaconess Hospital and Columbia Crest Center she made sure to tell all that “It’s not OK, but it’s gonna be alright.” Mom would also say that “life is way too short, if there is something you really, really want to do in life and it won’t turn your life upside down — you need to do it.”     

Mom is survived by her children — Dave (Dolly), Scott, Darla (Paul) and Mike. Her sister, Karen Heilman, and her dearest cousins, Donna Campbell and Judy Petrik. She had 10 grandchildren — Pat Ruffin (Deanna), Travis Ruffin (Summer), Allison Ruffin, Eric Whitaker (Kandice) Jennifer Adams (Hope), Kevin Whitaker (Amanda), Adrian Hernandez (Dianna), Elijah Mast, Oksana Ruffin and Natasha Ruffin, 15 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren who she dearly loved and many nieces and nephews.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Ruffin, her parents, Vivian and Tom Jackson, and her brothers, Fred and Randy Jackson.  

We would like to take this time to thank the staff at Columbia Crest Center & Assured Hospice for the amazing care that she received. A special thank you to her granddaughter Jennifer Adams for taking such amazing care of her and giving her so many memories to take with her in such a short time.  

Service will be held, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at 10 a.m. at Moses Lake First Church — Nazarene.  

The family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to Bright Focus Foundation for Macular Degeneration Disease Research or Lilac Services for the Blind.   

Please express your thoughts and memories for the family at https://bit.ly/JRUFFIN. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser's Chapel of Memories.