Thomas Ruffin, III

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Service starts at 11:00 AM October 4th, 2025

ID: 842 2830 5313

Passcode: 61175N

Remains will be in Elmhurst Cemetery

Drive by Ruffin Bench & parents grave on the way to the restaurant 

Born to Thomas and Barbara (Sanders) Ruffin in Kansas City, MO in 1952. 

Kansas City had a strong family support system, from his parents 16 siblings, aunts,  uncles, and host of cousins. He loved talking about memories of working together with his grandfather, cousins, and uncles for the families Sanders and Sons Trucking Services and Furniture Store on Vine Street.  The area is still  recognized for its rich culture of independent Black owned businesses, Jazz music, K.C. Monarchs/Negro Baseball League Museum, and many well know Gospel Quartets and Gospel Artists.

St. Paul, MN. later became his parents choice to relocate with Armour Packing House where his father later retired after 25 years. Teddy at age 13  looked at the old one bedroom house his parents rented for several months and told his Uncle, “you can leave my bed on the truck, I’m going back to K.C.”

As a teenager Teddy was baptized at New Hope Baptist Church and sang in the choir with his dad, for a short time. Soon after he graduated from Central High School, then he went to trade school for bricklaying. 

He was a hard worker, always had a job, he was a great cleaner, washed laundry, ironed, folded clothes, and moved furniture around, especially when he did something wrong at school, to soften the blow of the whipping he was sure to get.   

Teddy married early at the age of 19 to Margaret Brewer, the big sister to our one and only, Q Bear Walter Banks Jr., in 1972 and he later married Josephine Wooten in 1989, that's how our families blended together forever.

Later as his fathers health declined, he was his caregiver for 10 years.  His father would always say, " Don't mess with my son!  He cooks and keeps me company!" 

Before his death he bereaved his mother in 2006, father in 2020, and brother in 2021,  leaving behind two sisters, 2 brothers in law, 4 nieces, 1 great niece, and 4 great nephews, and a host of family members and friends.