Leonard H. Bruffey

BRUFFEY, Leonard H., departed this life on February 15, 2022, peacefully in his home. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernon J. Bruffey and Martha M. Bruffey; his brother, Vernon R. Bruffey; his sisters, Cheryl Bruffey Baker and Susan Bruffey Vestal. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Lynda Conner Bruffey; Bill Bruffey (Patricia Eastman) of Pacific Grove, Calif., Thurman Bruffey (Cathy) of Dover, Delaware and Millie Bruffey Bryant (Bruce) of Lugoff, S.C. He was 83 and came to Richmond in 1963 from Kinston, N.C.

He was a member of the crew aboard the USS Des Moines CA-134 on her last vayage in 1961. It was the flagship for the 6th fleet in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He joined the Navy to see the world and he did. He attended Atlantic Christian and the University of N.C. His first week in Richmond, he met his future wife, Lynda, at the Tantilla Ballroom on Broad Street. They were married exactly one year later, they celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2014.

He became a computer programmer in 1966 and loved it until his retirement in 2002.

He was a founding member of the Richmond Volleyball Club and played and coached several junior teams. He was a talented banjo and guitar player and was a member of two bluegrass bands "Jubilee" and "Short Haul" in his retirement years.

He will be greatly missed by his in-laws, many loving nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors. He leaves a void that will be hard to fill. His sense of humor was there until the very end. Some of his jokes and little songs like "I'll sing a little song, and it won't take long. That's all" will be repeated for a long time. There will be a memorial service in the future, when it is safer for everyone to be together.