“Joe died this afternoon at 5 o’clock.” A telegram bearing that short sentence was received in this city Saturday afternoon conveying the distressing news of the death of Joe H. Ruff at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore, Md., where he was carried nearly two weeks ago as the last resort to save his life. During the week just ending a message had been received from the bedside each afternoon giving his condition. Although it was known that he was a very sick man, messages received up until Friday carried with them a glimmer of hope for his recovery, but the complications which arose following his operation for appendicitis were of such a serious nature that his strong constitution was unable to conquer them.
The illness of Mr. Ruff had been followed with much interest by people all over the city, in all walks of life. Telephone calls were made to the newspaper offices by some who wanted the latest developments in his condition and who didn’t want to wait for the papers. Others relied upon the newspapers to give them news from the bedside. The deceased was beloved by all those who knew him. His genial nature, his ready laughter and contagious wit stood him well for he numbered friends by the score. By those students who studied law under him at Trinity college he was held in that spirit of reverence and respect that is given to a teacher but under that respectful demeanor shown him existed that feeling of friendship and love that only can be gained through association day after day. No better tribute can be paid to a man than to say that he scattered sunshine wherever he went.
Mr. Ruff was born in Tupelo, Miss., on October 24, 1892, and would have been 32 years of age had he lived until another birthday. He spent his early boyhood days in the Mississippi town of his birth. His father died while Joe was a boy. Later his mother sent him to Bellbuckle School for Boys in Tennessee. While there his mother died. Durham boys were met by him while he was in the Tennessee school and this led him to come to Trinity college upon his completion of his education in the Bellbuckle school. At the beginning of the fall term in 1913 Joe registered at Trinity college and for four years he applied himself studiously to his books. When war was declared by the United States against Germany and her allies, Joe volunteered his services for his country, being sent to an officers’ training camp, there receiving his commission. Soon after receiving his commission he was placed with a company bound for France. During those long, awful months of warfare, Joe performed his duties so well that he was promoted to the rank of captain. For his services and bravery while in war, he was awarded a medal.
The war ended and Joe came back to the states where he was mustered out of the service. Returning to Durham, he entered the law school at Trinity college, graduating at the end of his two years. In June, 1920, he secured his license to practice law. Soon after a law partnership was formed between Basil M. Watkins and Joe H. Ruff, which partnership existed until the latter’s death. They had builded up a practice that bid fair to become one of the best in the city. He was also appointed instructor in the law school at Trinity and through his work in the classroom he won the admiration of the college authorities and the love and affection of those men who studied under him. He began teaching in the law school in the fall of 1921. So well was he liked by the head of the college that he was appointed graduate manager of athletics effective last June and much time had been given by him to this work. Through his efforts the present coach was secured and athletics there are now more promising than they have been in some time.
Five weeks ago Joe was taken ill with an attack of appendicitis, on March 23, to be exact. He was carried to Watts hospital where an operation was performed. The operation was declared to have been successful and the incision healed satisfactorily but complications set in, and his condition became bad. As the days when by his condition appeared to become more and more critical. Two weeks ago Sunday, he was carried to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and from that time on his life hovered between life and death. Last Sunday a week a message was received by Mr. Watkins calling him to the bedside of his partner and friend. It was then that his life was first despaired of. He passed that crisis, however, and a telegram was sent to Durham to the effect that he had shown very slight improvement. Last Tuesday his condition again took a turn for the worse. After fighting valiantly for him for an hour or so, his attending physician announced to his little circle of friends waiting outside the room that his death was only the matter of time. His fiancée was among those attending his bedside. When the news was conveyed to her, she entered the sick room and there worked valiantly to keep the spark of life now apparently going out in Joe’s body burning. His life on earth was prolonged until Saturday mainly through her efforts, it is declared. Joe, himself, realizing the seriousness of his condition, staged a hard but losing fight against death. He never lost consciousness, it is stated, and even during his sickest moments he joked with his physician and those around about him. But the diseases were too firmly entrenched in his system, and Saturday afternoon, surrounded by several of his loved ones, he passed out.
He is survived by two brothers and three sisters.
The body will be shipped from Baltimore Sunday morning at 9 o’clock for Tupelo, Miss., where the funeral and interment will be held. It was his wish, as expressed to his brother who attended his bedside, that he be buried beside his mother, father, and younger brother. Basil M. Watkins and Sterling Nicholson will leave during the morning to meet the funeral party enroute to Mississippi. It is considered likely that a representative from Trinity college will also go to the funeral. Dr. W.H. Glasson, a former teacher of the deceased, who is in Washington, D.C., went to Baltimore as soon as the news of the death was received and will remain with the body until shipped, it was stated here last night.
From page 2 of the Durham Morning Herald, Sunday, April 27, 1924
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