Raymond Ruff

Raymond, 87, Oklahoma City resident since 1935, retired Broadcasting Executive and businessman died Tuesday, March 15, 2005 in Oklahoma City. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Morine Reames Ruff; his parents, Leslie and Freda Ruff and brother, Gordon formerly of Independence, Missouri. He is survived by his only daughter, Toni Freese of Scottsdale, Arizona; two nieces, Marsha Mercer of Buckner, Missouri and Marilyn Stewart of Missouri; many cousins including Bob Wingfield of Dallas, Texas and Howard J. Ruff of Salt Lake City, Utah; nephew, Gene Reames and wife Della; great nieces and nephews, Chris and Melissa Reames, Wendi McKinnon, Patrick Reames and wife Julie, Lisa Thompson and husband Vic and children. Born in Sublette, Kansas, August 22, 1917, he graduated from Mankato, Kansas high school in 1935, attended Texas A & M University, Oklahoma City University and the Air University at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He was a member of the original Oklahoma City Symphony Orchestra shortly after coming to Oklahoma City in 1935 and was one of the pioneers of radio broadcasting being employed first by radio station KOMA of Oklahoma City in 1937 when it was owned by the Hearst Newspapers. During the sixteen years he was employed by KOMA he worked with many now famous broadcasters including Paul Harvey and Curt Gowdy. He was sales manager of KOMA as well as Channel 25 and radio station KTOK. During the late 1950's he became part owner and manager of KOMA. From the late 1950's until he retired in 1983, he was President of Broadcasting Associates, Inc. of Oklahoma City which he owned along with Dallas businessman C.A. Sammons. He operated a radio station in San Bernardino, California and BAI owned stations in the Southwest which included KELi, Tulsa, Khog, Fayetteville, Arkansas, KTRN, Wichita Falls and KiXZ, Amarillo, Texas. He was a past member of the Oklahoma City Advertising Club, The Oklahoma City Downtown Rotary Club and the Oklahoma City Sales Executive Club. As an Army Air Corps Officer and pilot in World War II, he served 17 months in the European Theatre, was an Air Force pilot in the Air Force Reserve at Tinker Air Force Base, was recalled to active duty as a pilot in the Military Air Transport Service during the Korean War when he was based at Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas for 17 months. As a pilot with the 62nd Troup Carrier Group in Italy in World War II he was awarded five Battle Stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. Services will be held 2:00 P.M., Saturday, March 19, 2005 in The Chapel of the Resthaven Funeral Home with interment following in Resthaven Memory Gardens under the direction of the Resthaven Funeral Home of Oklahoma City. RESTHAVEN FUNERAL HOME S.W. 104TH AT WALKER 691-1661