Dorothy Jean Ruffley

Dorothy Jean Ruffley (née Pitz) passed away on April 10, 2026, at age 93, after a long decline due to dementia.

She is survived by her daughters, Kathy Kellum (Robert) and Linda Allen (the late Jim); her grandsons Kyle Kellum (Lauren), Nathan Kellum (Krystle), and Jason Allen; her great-grandchildren, Evelyn Kellum and Henry Kellum; her brother, Harold Pitz (Shirley); as well as several nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Herb Ruffley; her parents, C. Henry Pitz and Vesta Pitz; and her sister, Ethel Streb (the late James).

Dorothy grew up in the small town of North Lawrence in northern Ohio and graduated from Massillon High School in 1950. After high school, she entered the nursing program at Samaritan Hospital in Ashland, Ohio. While a student nurse at Cincinnati General Hospital, Dorothy was set up on a blind date by her roommate, Sue. At that time, Sue was dating (and later married) Woody, who was home on leave from Korea with his army buddy, Herb Ruffley. That chance encounter proved fateful: Dorothy and Herb's blind date sparked a 59-year marriage that lasted until Herb's death in 2012.

After their marriage, the couple settled in Milford-then a rural area east of the city-where they raised their two daughters. Dorothy and Herb were active members of Trinity United Methodist Church since its founding in 1960. In addition to church activities, they enjoyed square and round dancing, and in their later years they traveled extensively both within and outside the United States.

Even though Dorothy lived most of her life in southwest Ohio, she longed for "home"-the farm where she grew up and the places familiar to her during her youth. While we are sad she is no longer here with us, we rejoice that Dorothy has been welcomed home by God and reunited with all of her loved ones who have gone before her-what a glorious reunion!

A service to celebrate Dorothy's life will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church in Milford, Ohio. Memorials may be made to Milford Miami Ministry {844 State Route 131, Milford, OH 45150) or Trinity United Methodist Church (5767 Wolfpen-Pleasant Hill Rd, Milford, OH 45150).