Obituary of Vassey Ruff

Funeral Services for Vassey Burnell Ruff, will be held Monday, December 24, 2012 at 11 am at Holland Avenue Baptist Church with interment to follow in Southland Memorial Gardens. Rev. Charles Wilson and Rev. Rufus Chaneyworth will officiate the service. Pallbearers will be Gregory Marcil, Eddie Hipp, Howard Ruff, Robert Diaz, Micah Chaneyworth and Charles Watson. Honorary Pallbearers will be the Fellowship Sunday School class and former employees of Vassey Ruff. The family will receive friends Sunday, December 23, 2012 from 6-8pm at Thompson Funeral Home of West Columbia. Memorials may be made to Gods Helping Hands 919 Holland Avenue Cayce SC 29033 or Holland Avenue Baptist Church 801 12th Street Cayce SC 29033. Mr. Ruff graduated from Newberry High School and attended Newberry College. He worked in Molohon Cotton Mill in Newberry, SC and served 3 1/2 years in the Air Force Transport Command stationed in Canada. He was a longtime member of American Legion Cayce Post 130 where he held several offices. He was a member of Civitans during his early years of living in Cayce and also Oak Grove Lions Club. After he and his family joined Holland Avenue Baptist Church just a few short years after it was organized he became a member of the church and the Fellowship Sunday School Class. He was a Deacon, Sunday School Dept. secretary, trustee, Sunday school officer and Church Training Officer. On Sunday morning before Sunday school as a ministry to others for a number of years he gave out mints and was commonly referred to as the "candy man". In his earlier years he was a member of Newberry American Legion. He taught cabinet making at Brookland Cayce High School for 7years during the 1950's. He also taught drivers Education for a year and Mechanical drawing. Later in his years he became Maintenance supervisor for Lexington School District Two until his retirement in 1980. He was inducted into the Brookland Cayce High School Foundation Educators Hall of Fame in 2009.He really cared about his students and he has had the opportunity to see many thru the years and he got such a thrill that they remembered him. They will always have many good stories to tell. Surviving are his daughter Sallie Rae Marcil (Tom); son, Chris Ruff, all of Cayce, SC; sister, Nellie Hipp of W. Columbia, SC and 3 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sallie Harrelson Ruff; sister, Viola Davis; brothers, Silas Luther Ruff, Wade Hampton Ruff, Henry Leon Ruff, Rubin Matthew Ruff, Moses Ruff and Curtis Ruff . Family and friends may sign the on-line guest book at www.thompsonsfuneral.com.