Lois D. Ruff

Lois Divine Ruff, 93, of Independence, Missouri, passed away on Friday, August 22, 2025. A celebration of life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 6th at 3:00 p.m. at Sterling Full Gospel Church in Independence.
Lois was born in Amarillo, Texas, to Troy Raymond and Lois Jane (Martin) Adams. She has lived in Independence off and on since 1967. She and the family were members of First Assembly of God in Blue Springs, where we made many lifelong friends and grew to love the Lord.
Lois was a devoted Christian and shared her faith everywhere she went. She was raised in the church and saw to it her children were too. Her catchphrase was " Let's talk about Jesus".
Mom was the strong disciplinarian in our family and we knew she meant what she said and said what she meant. She was the wife of a truck driver and farmer, selling real estate in her spare time, while navigating a family. We lived on a farm and learned to harvest right along with the adults, which is where we learned our values and what it meant to be a family. We all grew up and gained families of our own and founded them in word.
Lois started a new journey in 1986 when she married her current husband Huntley Ruff. She founded a prison ministry early in life but it came to fruition in early 2018 through Sterling Full Gospel Church gaining participants to top out at 230 inmates receiving a newsletter. To which she had lots of help. Lois touched more lives than we will ever know. Many called her mom as she was the only motherly figure they ever knew. Lois lived a long life; the path she chose was not an easy one but she stuck with it and gave it her all. She was in good health until March of this year, for which we were very thankful.
Lois is survived by her husband of 39 years, Huntley Ruff; four children: Beverly Gorham & husband Jim, Roy Cox & wife Jackie, Raymond Cox & wife Connie, and Pam Ballard & husband John; stepdaughter, Huntanetta Gibson & husband Ronald; nine grandchildren: Tonya, Saundra, Casie, Tracie, Christina, Kelly, Jamie, Shannon, and Jimmy (James); two step-granddaughters: Rontanetta and Ronnese; twenty great-grandchildren: JD, Kayla, Rayna, Skylar, Jacie, Emma, Raelee, Breckyn, Gannon, Kaven and Merrick, Ethan, Eli, Triston, Devon, Liam, Aiden, Maddie, and Jaxon; and all the spouses that chose to marry into this big family, Mom loved each and every one of you. Lois also had five great-great-grandchildren: Carmen, Maeleigh, Jaymeson, Avery, and Silas; and two sisters: Juanita Pederson & husband Pete, and Jane Sides & husband Cleo.
Ma was preceded in death by Skylar, Jamie, Liam, and the father of her 4 children, Billy Cox, all of whom she is reunited with now in Glory!!!
We named ALL of those family members – you bet we did because we would be in big trouble if we left even one out. Mom was fiercely proud of every child, grandchild, great-grandchild and great-great-grandchild – every last one of them.
We want to say a special thank you to her great-granddaughter Kayla McCartney and Anita Moss (Jim Gorham's sister) for caring for and staying 24/7 with Lois during this time; and Angie Anglin, who was also a companion and caregiver.
Now Let's Talk About Jesus!!
Obituary submitted by the family.
Arrangements: Royer Funeral Home, Oak Grove, Missouri