Obituaries
Aubrey Lee “Buddy” Ruffner (1950 – 2022)
Aubery Lee “Buddy” Ruffner, 72, of Haymarket, Virginia, passed away on Saturday, July 9th, 2022, after a brave battle with cancer. Buddy was born on March 17th, 1950, in Front Royal, Virginia, to the late Aubrey and Veronica Ruffner. He is preceded in death by his sister Lori Householder.
Aubery Lee “Buddy” Ruffner
A 1968 graduate of Mount Vernon High School in Alexandria, Virginia, Buddy was active in the marching band and played electric guitar. He won a high school “battle of the bands” contest using his precious Gibson ES-335. He attended Bridgewater College, during which time he met the love of his life, Vanna Rehmeyer on a blind date. He was devoted to his college friends, with whom he remained close for over 50 years, enjoying annual fishing trips to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. After receiving a BS in Economics, he sold that precious Gibson guitar to buy Vanna an engagement ring before entering the United States Army Reserves. A trade he considered more than fair.
Buddy started his career as a branch manager for First Virginia Bank, during which time he survived two bank robberies, including one where he was taken, hostage. He discovered that his love of people and conversation was a perfect match for the world of sales, where he spent the remainder of his career until retiring as a Sales Executive from Hewlett-Packard.
Buddy loved being outdoors and volunteered his time generously with his sons’ Boy Scouts troops. He was a passionate gardener and also an accomplished cook. His lucky wife was never in the kitchen. Holiday dinners with all the trimmings were a highlight every year and will be sorely missed. In retirement, he fell in love with traveling, his wife’s passion. Highlights of his travels included walking the Great Wall of China, climbing to the top of the Vatican, and exploring the Alhambra in Spain. Buddy picked up golf later in life, but it became his favorite passion. He loved sharing this passion for golfing with his sons, and his trips to The Masters with them were some of his favorite experiences. The culmination of a lifelong dream, he was able to play at the birthplace of golf, St. Andrews, on a trip to Scotland in 2017 with Vanna.
Buddy was a car enthusiast and worked in his father’s garage as a teenager. He was most proud of his 1969 Chevy Corvette Stingray and told its story to friends and family many times. When it came time for a child, he parted with his dear Stingray, always making sacrifices for his wife and family.
A devoted and involved father and grandfather, Buddy treasured spending time with his children and grandchildren. Buddy loved to take each grandchild on their own trips where they could learn about his favorite subject, History, visiting historic homes and battle sites around Virginia. He never failed to be delighted and amused by their antics and worked tirelessly at the goal of spending quality time with his family. A caring friend who truly brightened the lives of others, he will be missed but not forgotten by all who knew him.
He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Vanna Ruffner; his two sons, Sean Andrew Ruffner (Van): Scott Michael Ruffner (Jackie); his brother, Alan Moses Ruffner (Barbara); his grandchildren, Emory, Corinne, and Lennon; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank Buddy’s dedicated medical team for their tireless efforts and superior care and his beloved friends for their unwavering support. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Leukemia for children at https://www.stjude.org/donate or the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at https://givenow.lls.org/give/342076