Frank Miller Ruff, Jr.

Frank M. Ruff, Jr, 75, of Clarksville, VA passed peacefully in his home on the afternoon of Saturday, October 26, 2024, surrounded by his loving family after a valiant battle with cancer.
Frank was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and brother who will be most remembered for his service to his community and Southside Virginia, first serving on the Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors (1988 – 1991), then the Virginia House of Delegates (1994 – 2000), and finally the Senate of Virginia (2000 – 2024) when health concerns necessitated his retirement.
Even then he continued on many commissions and committees sharing his vast knowledge and experience.
Frank was recognized by many organizations and associations and received many awards in his life for his service. Although he greatly appreciated the gestures, he was also humbled by them. He considered his family his greatest fulfilment.
Frank’s political career allowed him the opportunity to serve the greater good. His business experience and sharp mind made him someone sought out on the issues, with requests to serve on committees and boards aside from the standing committees he served on during session. He focused largely on workforce training, economic development, and education. He was the driving force behind loan forgiveness on the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission tuition program. He worked with community colleges and businesses to create certification programs that would allow a trade to be learned in weeks or months to an industry certification that would allow employment at a much quicker rate than standard degrees. Frank saw many young people leaving our rural areas due to a lack of opportunities, and he worked tirelessly to change that. Frank was the lead sponsor for founding the Center for Rural Virginia, an organization that now bears his name in memory. Frank assisted with the founding and funding for GO Virginia to provide targeted economic development efforts for all regions of Virginia. His work symbolized his life – if he saw a problem, he worked with both sides of the aisle to fix it and create a better outcome for all. He was the man behind the scenes to create a better life in our rural communities; not for recognition but to build strong communities.
This was all possible because of the devotion of his wife, Jessie, and his family whom he missed greatly during each General Assembly Session. His joys were the times each of his children lived in the Richmond area and he could see them during the General Assembly Session. The smile on his face when he would leave after a long and often grueling day during Session knowing he would meet them for dinner or have them join him for an evening event was priceless. They reminded him of why he worked so hard.
Humble and unassuming, Frank Ruff was a man of good character, strong in his faith, a wonderful sense of humor, highly intelligent, compassionate, always seeing the best in people, and always working for the good of the people. He will be missed by many.
Frank is survived by his wife, Jessie; sons – Miller (Jessica), Thomas (Michelle), and David Ruff; daughter Genny Lazzarotti (Nick); grandchildren Juliana, Harper, Abel, and Isaac; and sisters Elizabeth Hannah (Jim) and Amanda Gaskill.

The family will receive visitors at their home on Wednesday and Thursday, October 30 and 31, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm at 237 Old Rock Road, Clarksville, VA.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 pm on Friday, November 1, 2024 at Clarksville Presbyterian Church, 502 Virginia Avenue, Clarksville, VA 23927 with a reception immediately following at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to Mecklenburg County Cancer Association, P.O. Box 311, Chase City, VA 23924 or Saving Grace Animals for Adoption, P.O. Box 1649, Wake Forest, N.C. 27588.