Mrs. Anne Stevens Ruff

A memorial service for Anne Ruff, 93, of Thomaston will be held Saturday June 1, 2019 at 3 pm at the First Baptist Church of Thomaston with Rev. Bill Barber officiating. Fletcher-Day Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Ruff died Wednesday, May 29, 2019. Her cremains were interred in South View Cemetery Saturday June 1, 2019. Anne Ruff was a loving, energetic, compassionate and caring individual with an unusual talent to organize and get things accomplished. Her enduring legacy was a lifetime of volunteer work. Encouraging others to do their best was a common activity. She will be sorely missed. Mrs. Ruff was born in Birmingham, Alabama, April 2, 1926, fraternal twin of William Thomas Stevens, Jr., who preceded her in death. She was the daughter of the late William T. Stevens, Sr. and Elizabeth T. Ferrell Stevens. Her family moved to Atlanta near Emory University Hospital when she was two years old. Her husband and lifetime companion, George W. Ruff, Jr., whom she married in 1950, preceded her in death on April 23, 2017. Her three children also survive: John Thomas Ruff and his wife, Patricia Nealon, of Atlanta, George Stevens Ruff, Sr. and his wife Jackie, of Meansville, and Mary Elizabeth Mendenhall and her husband Mark, of Williamson. Four grandchildren survive: Eric T. Ruff, Kathryn Ruff, Julia Ruff, and George S. Ruff, Jr. (Steve). Great grandson Theo Ruff also survives. Two nieces, Debbie Owens and Jan Tipaldos, great nieces and great nephews, also survive. Mrs. Ruff graduated from North Avenue Presbyterian High School in Atlanta in 1942 and immediately entered Agnes Scott College. Two years later she transferred to the University of Georgia in Athens. She graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics. Following graduation from college she was employed at Emory University’s hospital as a receptionist at the front desk. During this time one of her favorite duties was personally meeting and guiding visiting dignitaries around the hospital and campus. After her marriage in 1950 she and her husband moved to Rome, Georgia. While there for five years she had numerous experiences: Manager of Montgomery Ward Catalog Dept., teaching 6th grade in Shannon, Georgia, and owner and operator of Happyland Kindergarten. In 1955 Mrs. Ruff moved to Narrows, Virginia with her husband. While there she was very active in the local Baptist church. Mrs. Ruff moved to Thomaston in 1957 and became an integral part of the community after her husband took a position with B.F. Goodrich – Martha Mills. As an active member of First Baptist Church she enjoyed serving as a substitute teacher in Sunday School for 45 years, organizing and maintaining the church music library, volunteering in the church library, holding several offices in the Women’s Missionary Union, founding the House of Care in 1968, and working as a volunteer at the Community Thrift Store. For many years she was a substitute teacher at R.E. Lee High School. She served as past President, Treasurer, and Nurse Recruitment Chairman of Upson Regional Medical Center Auxiliary. Since 1974 she has been a member of the John Houstoun Chapter of the NSDAR, serving as National Defense Chairman, Constitution Week Chairman, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer from 1984 - 2009. She served as past president of the Spade and Trowel Garden Club. She was active in Election Polls and served as a Poll Manager for many years. She served two 7 year terms revising the voters’ list for Upson County. She received many outstanding community and service awards: Upson County Ministerial Association’s “Good Hands Award” in 1977, The Woman’s Missionary Union of the First Baptist Church recognition of “Servicing 39 years as the founder and manager of the House of Care from 1969 thru August, 2007”, The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution “Excellence in Community Service” award Jan. 8, 1997, The Chamber of Commerce “Humanitarian Award” in 2001, and the Sertoma Club’s “Service to Mankind” award in 2002. She was the first woman to receive the prestigious Thomaston Chamber of Commerce “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2007. Anne Ruff enjoyed telling everyone she had three main hobbies: travelling, reading, and bridge. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Baptist Church, House of Care Ministry, 208 South Church St., Thomaston, GA 30286, or any other mission or charities’ oriented work.